How the cats of Dixfield, Maine came into a fortune — and almost lost it

2024-12-25 10:16:55 source:lotradecoin historical trading data access category:Contact

More than 20 years ago, something unusual happened in the small town of Dixfield, Maine. A lady named Barbara Thorpe had left almost all of her money—$200,000—to benefit the cats of her hometown. When Barbara died in 2002, those cats suddenly got very, very rich. And that is when all the trouble began.

Barbara's gift set off a sprawling legal battle that drew in a crew of crusading cat ladies, and eventually, the town of Dixfield itself. It made national news. But after all these years, no one seemed to know where that money had ended up. Did the Dixfield cat fortune just...vanish?

In this episode, host Jeff Guo travels to Maine to track down the money. To figure out how Barbara's plans went awry. And to understand something about this strange form of economic immortality called a charitable trust.

This episode was produced by Willa Rubin with help from Dave Blanchard. It was engineered by Josh Newell. Sally Helm edited the show and Sierra Juarez checked the facts. Jess Jiang is Planet Money's acting Executive Producer.

Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Always free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, NPR One or anywhere you get podcasts.

Find more Planet Money: Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.

Music: "A Peculiar Investigation" "Benin Bop" and "Tropical Heat."

More:Contact

Recommend

The Voice Season 26 Crowns a New Winner

Out of five fabulous finalists, one has emerged victorious.Sofronio Vasquez, who grew up in the Phil

Did the groundhog see his shadow? See results of Punxsutawney Phil's 2024 winter forecast

It's official: spring is right around the corner.Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow in front o

Olympic skating coach under SafeSport investigation for alleged verbal abuse still coaches

Warning: Contains descriptions of abuse and self-harm.COLUMBUS, Ohio — For more than two years, the