A prominent, civic minded entrepreneur decided to leave an estate to a local historical society, however, if the society were to ever become defunct, the entrepreneur wished ownership of the property to pass to the local hospital. What can the entrepreneur do to ensure these wishes are honored

While a written agreement could express the entrepreneur's wishes, it lacks the legal enforceability of a deed restriction. Such an agreement may not bind future boards or successors of the historical society, leaving the property vulnerable to mismanagement or misinterpretation of the entrepreneur's intent.

A life estate grants ownership to one party for their lifetime, after which the property passes to another party. This option does not directly align with the entrepreneur’s goal since it typically involves the original owner retaining some rights until death, rather than allowing the property to directly revert to the hospital upon the historical society's dissolution.

Filing a certificate of escheat pertains to unclaimed property reverting to the state, which does not address the specific wishes of the entrepreneur. This option does not provide a mechanism for the property to pass to the hospital and would not ensure that the historical society's dissolution would result in the intended transfer of ownership.