HISTORY – Inspired by a visit to the restored Town of New Harmony, Indiana, in 1975 Sonia P Seherr-Thoss and Hans C Seherr-Thoss, with several other Litchfield residents, established The Greater Litchfield Preservation Trust, Inc. On July 2, 1975, the Trust was incorporated as a nonstock corporation in the State of Connecticut. As stated in its Certificate of Incorporation, its three principal purposes are as follows:
- “To preserve, maintain, restore and/or protect those real properties, with any improvements thereon, and personal property incidental thereto in the Town of Litchfield and vicinity which have architectural, historical, educational or general cultural significance to perpetuate such heritage of Litchfield and its vicinity for public edification and enjoyment.”
- “To encourage study and research relative to such properties and to disseminate information relative thereto.”
- “To hold any such properties either absolutely or in trust; to sell and convey, mortgage or lease any property, real or personal; to construct or demolish buildings; to invest and reinvest any funds, stocks, bonds or other securities acquired by the corporation; to borrow money, issue obligations therefore an mortgage or pledge any or all of the corporation’s property as security for such borrowings.”
The vision of Mr. and Mrs. Seherr-Thoss was that it was important to maintain the economic viability of the commercial block in the Borough of Litchfield and the renovation of the Post Office became the Trust’s first project. They clearly saw that by allowing the Post Office to leave the heart of Litchfield that an important aspect of the history of Litchfield and its sense of community would have been lost. By their creation of the Trust and the renovation of the Post Office on South Street, an important partnership was created consistent with that goal and the preservation of the ”architectural, historical, educational or general cultural significance” of the center of Litchfield.
Those individuals who contribute the sum of $10 or more per year for the purposes of the corporation are members and are entitled to one vote at all meetings of members of the corporation. The members elect nine directors who in turn annually elect officers.
The Trust is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation such that donations to the Trust are charitable contributions as provided by the Internal Revenue Code.