[citation needed] According to William Scott, "Chinese and Japanese ships bartered gold in Tagudin in Juan de Salcedo's day.

On 18 August 1908, Tagudin replaced Alilem as the capital of the sub-province of Amburayan,[7] which included Lepanto (that became a sub-province now included in the province of Benguet), Angkaki (now Quirino), Suyo, and Alilem (now with Ilocos Sur), and Sudipen, Santol, and San Gabriel (formerly with Ilocos Sur but became part of La Union).

[6][8] Tagudin was made the site of the Base Hospital of the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines-Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL) in 1945 during World War II.

It was also the site of the military general headquarters of the USAFIP-NL 121st Infantry Regiments under the Philippine Commonwealth Army.

Poverty incidence of Tagudin Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Tagudin, belonging to the second congressional district of the province of Ilocos Sur, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code.