The Prosper King House and the Lyzon Hat Shop

Hampton Bays has a lot of history. Patch has put together a photo column of two of the most treasured historic sites in the hamlet.  A Main Street Historic Landmark was designated by the Town of Southampton for two historic structures.  One of these structures is in the process of being restored while the other is still awaiting funds for a complete restoration to its original glory. 

The Prosper King House dates back to 1790 and the Lyzon Hat Shot dates back to 1850.  These two historic buildings sit side by side on Main Street across from the movie theater and near the Chamber of Commerce and the Hampton Bays Historical Society headquarters.

The Town of Southampton has recently awarded a bid for work on the basic carpentry to restore the Prosper King House. Restoration work has been preformed on the house through the years and a new foundation has already been added.  The house was originally believed to have been built in the 1820s, but more recently it was discovered that parts of the structure date back to the late 1700s.  This makes the Prosper King House one of the oldest buildings in the Town of Southampton. 

The Lyzon Hat Shop was run by Hampton Bays milliner named Walter Howard King.  He designed and created high-fashion women's hats.  These hats were adored by the wealthy and royalty.