They also cut large logs and threw them to the Abra River to prevent the incoming Spanish colonist and Ilocano settlers from entering the area with the use of their boats and bamboo rafts.

The early settlers were the Tinguians belonging to the Bago, Masadiit, lbanao, and Indayas tribes who later intermarried with the immigrants from Ilocos.

In November 1601, Fray Esteban Marín in the company of an expedition under Captain Mateo de Aranda arrived in Abra but was killed, with his body tied up to a tree, shot by arrows, before being dismembered.

Juan de Pareja, "Conquistador Espiritual" of Abra, arrived with the protection of the Spanish garrison and advanced further to the interior.

Juan Pareja organized Bangued as a mission center and baptized 3,000 Tingguians with the help of their chief, Manuel Dumawal.

On March 10, 1945, at 3:00 P.M., some American planes guided by Filipinos dropped incendiary bombs on the capitol, the catholic church and adjoining buildings.

Poverty Incidence of Bangued Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] The economy of the municipality is heavily dependent on agriculture particularly palay and corn, followed by trade and industry.

The commercial activity of Bangued is confined in the urban core establishing a linear pattern of development along major thoroughfares.

For the year 2000 there were 1,539 commercial/business enterprises classified as wholesale and retail trade, dry and wet markets, banking and finance, service and others.

On the other hand, there were also a number of large to medium scale suppliers of general merchandise, groceries and various types of prime commodities.

The most common are hollow blocks and other concrete products manufacturing with gravel and sand readily available at the Abra River bank.

Metalcraft, tinsmithing, jewelry making is also expanding while a lot of households are now in the small scale processing or value adding activities appertaining to various food items.

Most of the educational institutions of higher levels secondary and tertiary are concentrated in the urban core, while elementary schools are strategically located in different barangays forming their own catchment areas.

Private Passenger buses, mini-buses, jeepneys and tricycles including cargo are the major means of transportation in the town.

Buses, mini-buses and jeepneys ply the longer routes covering the entire province of Abra and out, while tricycles serve only the inner arteries of the municipality's barangays including the adjacent towns of La Paz, Peñarrubia, Pidigan, and Tayum on a chartered ride basis.