Originally part of a 1727 grant that included nearby Canterbury and Northfield, Loudon became its own entity after citizens petitioned for its incorporation in 1773. The residents wanted their own town, arguing that insufficient roads prevented them from attending to civic activities and worship at the far-away meetinghouse. Loudon was name for John Campbell, 4^th Earl of Loudon, who was a fighter with the British army and an aide-de-camp during the Seven Years' War; during the war. Loudon is the home of the New Hampshire International Speedway, which attracts thousands of visitors from all over.