By Clementina Verge

Cathy Fields, executive director of Litchfield Historical Society, is retiring this June, reflecting with gratitude on a rewarding 35-year career.

Under her leadership, the museum experienced major renovations and a growing collection including up to 30,000 objects highlighting the social and cultural history of the town since its inception in 1719. 

Fields directed the reinterpretation of Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School, which offers an interactive journey through the 19th century life of a student at Litchfield Law School—the Nation’s first law school—or Litchfield Female Academy. She also oversaw construction of the 5-acre Tapping Reeve Meadow, a historically-inspired community garden.

“I have loved every minute of being here and I am proud that the Historical Society has become a true community resource over my tenure,” she contemplates. “Litchfield has a great history and with the Law School we have the opportunity to tell a unique national story. In our exhibitions, programs, and research—all the work we do—we use documents, buildings, landscapes, stories, and literature to engage visitors and give them a greater understanding and appreciation of their history along with a sense of place—whether that place is Litchfield, New England, or the United States. We are in a strong position now and I can’t wait to see the ways in which my successor moves the organization forward.”