Development by New York St. Lawrence Reservation

pavilion , picnic area @ cedar point, c. 1901

in 1896, state reservation on st. lawrence officially established new york state legislature, designated part of river saint lawrence lying , being within state of new york, islands therein international park. newly created reservation placed under control of new york state fisheries, game , forest commission, charged creating laws , regulations pertaining state lands within reservation.

prior reservation s creation, state of new york did not own land within newly protected region, spanned approximately 100 miles (160 km) of river. fisheries, game , forest commission began purchasing properties in 1897, having been authorized spend $30,000 acquire lands reservation. difficulties arose when landowners inflated asking prices upon learning of state s interest in region; in response, state considered taking legal action against property owners. local municipalities, particularly ogdensburg , clayton, fought on state should focus establishment of parks.

by 1898, fisheries, game , forest commission had purchased following properties included within reservation:

mary island , canoe point both purchased in 1897; remainder acquired in 1898. among locations intended inclusion in reservation peninsula known cement point on grindstone island; declined state due uncertainty regarding legal ownership. these purchases of earliest actions taken new york state preserve lands recreational purposes, preceded protection of forest preserve , niagara reservation.

a camper makes use of cooking stove installed @ watterson s point, c. 1901

the state-owned reservation lands intended facilitate picnicking , camping boaters on st. lawrence river. end, state enacted improvements on new lands. close of 1899, of parks included piers suitable steamboats, docks smaller watercraft, , pavilions. prevent wildfires, cooking stoves constructed @ parks use of campers.

in 1911, reservation s name officially adopted st. lawrence reservation , , area simultaneously expanded include portions of lake ontario adjacent jefferson county, including several bays (chaumont bay, guffins bay, black river bay , henderson bay) , islands. long point on chaumont bay purchased included in reservation in 1913. late 1920s, grass point had been purchased state, , last parcel added reservation.