The first lumber mill at Port Ludlow was established by Thorndyke and Sayward in 1852. Amos and Phinney took over operation in 1858, and the Puget Mill Co. - a subsidiary of Pope and Talbot Lumber Co. - purchased the sawmill in 1878. The mill closed, reopened, closed and reopened again throughout its long history. In 1925 the mill was acquired by the Charles McCormick Lumber Co. which operated until 1935. At that time the mill was re-acquired by Pope and Talbot, which permanently closed the mill. Dormant until the 1960's, Pope and Talbot began to develop the area as a modern resort and residential community.

Along with the first mill in 1852 came the mill town complete with a post office, school, hospital and hotel. There was a dentist, an insurance company, a barber, a general merchandise and food store owned by the mill, hardware store and a variety of entertainment venues for all ages.

Of necessity, a cemetery was established on the western edge of the mill site, overlooking Ludlow Bay, the mill and mill town. No records exist of burials, but local research has identified nine likely burials beginning in the late 1850's in the tiny cemetery measuring 60 feet by 150 feet (0.2 acres). The nearby Forest Hill Cemetery was established for and by residents of the Swansonville community about 1900; it is thought that burials continued at the Port Ludlow Cemetery until that time.

There is one confirmed burial:
Minerva Jane Frazer (Frasier), wife of Francis Walker

Likely burials:
Cook, unknown
Cooper, Henry, d. ca 1877
Cooper, Lucy, d. ca 1877
Olson, John (Jim)

Possible burials:
Anderson, John P., d. 1863
Frazer, Emily Dallas, d. 1858
Frazer, James K., d. 1874
Ragan, unknown, d. 1873

Thanks to Dick Osburn for providing this and additional information in the typewritten "Narrative of a Cemetery". Mr. Osburn may be contacted by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (360) 774-2220.