Village Improvement Association of Southampton, NY

Did you know the Village Improvement Association of Southampton was founded more than 140 years ago?

On October 25, 1881, Dr. T. Gaillard Thomas, a founder of the Southampton summer colony, invited a small group of men to his home in New York City to discuss how together, they could find a way “to encourage, promote, and carry on projects for the beautifying and sanitary improvement of the Village of Southampton.” Thanks to the foresight of these men, the VIAS was born.

While many decades have passed, the VIAS mission remains the same. Thanks to your support, the natural beauty of our Village continues to thrive. While the VIAS no longer “inspects the Village’s milk supply,” we do continue to plant and renew the Villages trees and flowering boxes.

Each year, the VIAS tackles beautification projects throughout the Village. Some of these projects include planting daffodil bulbs in the planters along Windmill Lane and in the Village parks. We also refurbish and plant the 100 plus green flower boxes in the Village business district with red geraniums and ivy and replenish the Lake Agawam boardwalk planters with deer resistant flowers in the summer and miniature evergreens in the fall.

Of course all this work requires funding and we hope that we can count on your donation again this year. Your contribution helps us to maintain the beauty of our Village in keeping with the vision of the VIAS founding fathers of 1881.

Linda Fraser
President, VIAS