In April 1776, on his way to New York City from Boston after his victory in the Siege of Boston, General George Washington camped in the town of Dudley with the Continental Army along what is now a portion of Route 31 near the Connecticut border. During the trip, it is rumored that a "large cache" of captured and recovered British weaponry and supplies was ordered "concealed in the grounds" in the rural area along the route. The cache, hidden to resupply reinforcements from Massachusetts or to cover a retreat from the south, were never used or recorded as having been recovered.

Union soldiers from Dudley, the 15th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, suffered heavy casualties inflicted by the Confederacy during the Battle of Gettysburg. Dudley was the primary manufacturer of "Brogan boots" worn by the Union Army and produced the majority of the standard issue Union uniforms worn during the Civil War.

A proposal to create an Islamic cemetery that follows Islamic burial practices on 55 acres (22 ha) of farmland elicited intense community opposition when discussed at a public hearing in February 2016. Those that spoke made it clear that they don't want such a cemetery in their town with alleged concerns that included noise, traffic and well water contamination issues. During a series of test pits that were dug by the applicant, with the Dudley Board of Health Inspector present, it was discovered that the average water table was 24" below the grade of the ground, with many spots having ground water only 18" from the surface.[1][2] During the public hearing process for the Zoning Board of Appeals, it was discovered that the parcel of land where the proposed cemetery would be built was actually an agricultural protected parcel of land protected under MGL Chapter 61A. In accordance with Mass Law, the parcel of land was supposed to be offered to the town first if the use was being changed away from agricultural. At a town meeting held on May 23, 2016, the town residents in an almost unanimous vote, authorized the Board of Selectman to exercise the Town's first right of refusal and proceed to purchase the agricultural piece of land. When the Zoning Board of Appeals met on June 2, 2016 they asked the Islamic Society of Worcester if they were presenting a revised 5 Acre cemetery plan which they had read about in the newspapers the week before. The Islamic Society of Worcester stated there was no revised plan and they expected the Zoning Board of Appeals to vote on their original proposal for 12,000+ grave sites.[3] The Zoning Board of Appeals then scheduled a full vote for June 9, 2016 at which time the application for a cemetery was denied because the Islamic Society of Worcester technically did not have a legal right to even submit the cemetery plan because they lacked the proper legal standing to do so. [4] The Islamic Society of Worcester asked for 3 continuances from the Town of Dudley Board of Health during its Public hearing process and failed to provide the Board of health with responses to 13 questions the Board of Health had sent in writing to the applicant on numerous occasions.[5][6][7] The Islamic Society of Greater Worcester is working to establish a closer burial place as they currently travel to Enfield, Connecticut.

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