Pastoral Litchfield is the essence of New England. This enchanting town features some of the loveliest scenery on the East Coast, spectacular early American architecture and a fascinating history, qualities that the townspeople carefully protect and enhance. Litchfield is the former county seat of Litchfield County, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town. There are also two unincorporated villages: Northfield and Milton. The town has a total area of 56.8 square miles

Founded in 1719, Litchfield was designated the county seat in 1751, and by the 1790s the town had become the leading commercial, social, cultural and legal center of Northwestern Connecticut. Its population grew from 1,366 in 1756 to 2,544 in 1774, and by 1810 Litchfield was the fourth largest settlement in the state with a population of 4,639.

Beginning in 1784, Litchfield lawyer, Tapping Reeve, systematized his law lectures for young students, creating the Litchfield Law School. Reeve was the first to develop a series of formal, regular lectures that insured that all students had access to the same body of knowledge. Among those who attended was David Sherman Boardman, a prominent nineteenth-century lawyer and judge in the county.

Established in 1792, Sarah Pierce's Litchfield Female Academy was one of the first major educational institutions for women in the United States.

Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry Ward Beecher, Charles Beecher, Edward Beecher, Isabella Beecher Hooker, and Catharine Beecher all grew up in Litchfield where their father, Lyman Beecher was the minister.

During its "Golden Age" (1784-1834) Litchfield had an unusual number of college educated inhabitants. In 1791 Samuel Miles Hopkins, a student at the Litchfield Law School, described Litchfield in his journal as a town of "hard, active, reading, thinking, intelligent men who may probably be set forth as a pattern of the finest community on earth.

Litchfield's fortunes declined during the later years of the nineteenth century. The town did not have the ample water supply and rail transportation necessary to establish industry and the village became a sleepy backwater. Rediscovered as a resort community in the late nineteenth century Litchfield became a popular spot for vacation, weekend and summer homes..

The community and its residents cherish and meticulously maintain magnificent examples of historic architecture, particularly on the Litchfield Green. The historical society's popular summer house tour features many of these homes each year.

Rolling hills, open meadows and vast estates host stately homes and prestigious smaller structures, streamlined contemporary architecture, and impressive agricultural and equestrian farms. The local landscape also features several luxurious condominium complexes, new construction and delightful suburban neighborhoods.

The village has well-maintained commercial structures. Local residents own most of the shops and restaurants in town. It was the site of the country's first private academy for girls, founded in 1792, and first law school, founded in 1774. Enterprise in Litchfield consists principally of agriculture, specialty shops on the green and light manufacturing facilities in the Bantam section.

The unspoiled terrain inspires a wealth of outdoor pleasure and sporting events. Nature lovers will delight in the Topsmead State Forest, home to the Edith M. Chase Nature Trail and Wildflower Preserve. Additional hiking, riding trails, nature study and picnicking wait at the 4,000-acre White Memorial Foundation and Conservation Center. Bantam Lake, Connecticut's largest natural lake, is a freshwater playground for fishing, boating and swimming. The Litchfield Hills Road Race in June attracts elite runners from around the world.

Public school facilities include one elementary school, one intermediate school and one high school for seventh- through 12th-graders. Schools boast a solid academic curriculum and an expanded program for preschoolers.

Route 202 is the main east-west road connecting Bantam and Litchfield center to the city of Torrington. Route 63 runs north-south through the town center. The Route 8 expressway runs along the town line with Harwinton. It can be accessed from the town center via Route 118.

Notable residents have included: Henry Ward Beecher, Ethan Allen, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Andrew Adams, F. Norton Goddard, Oliver Wolcott, Jr., Jerome Fuller, and Phineas Miner

Many sites on the National Register of Historic Places are located in Litchfield. These include the following: Ethan Allen birthplace, Capt. William Bull Tavern, Henry B. Bissell House, Oliver Wolcott House, Tapping Reeve House and Law School, Litchfield Historic District, Milton Historic District, Rye House, Northfield Knife Company Site and Topsmead.