St. Lawrence Reservation

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View c. 1901 of pavilion and "State Land" sign at Canoe Point, among the first parcels purchased for the St. Lawrence Reservation St. Lawrence Reservation - Canoe Point - 1901 report crop.tif
View c. 1901 of pavilion and "State Land" sign at Canoe Point, among the first parcels purchased for the St. Lawrence Reservation

The St. Lawrence Reservation (originally known as the State Reservation on the St. Lawrence) was a former protected area established by the state of New York in the Thousand Islands region along the St. Lawrence River in the late 19th century. The reservation's parks were some of the earliest lands purchased by New York State for the purposes of recreation and land preservation.

Protected area location which receives protection because of its recognised natural, ecological or cultural landscape values

Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international organizations involved.

New York (state) State of the United States of America

New York is a state in the Northeastern United States. New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. With an estimated 19.54 million residents in 2018, it is the fourth most populous state. To distinguish the state from the city with the same name, it is sometimes called New York State.

Thousand Islands archipelago of 1,864 islands along the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River

The Thousand Islands constitute an archipelago of 1,864 islands that straddles the Canada–US border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about 50 miles (80 km) downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario and the U.S. islands in the state of New York.

Contents

Initially intended to become part of an international park with islands protected by Canada, properties acquired by New York for the reservation are today managed as independent state parks by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Islands that comprised the Canadian portion of the never-realized international park are today part of the Thousand Islands National Park.

Canada Country in North America

Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres, making it the world's second-largest country by total area. Canada's southern border with the United States is the world's longest bi-national land border. Its capital is Ottawa, and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. As a whole, Canada is sparsely populated, the majority of its land area being dominated by forest and tundra. Consequently, its population is highly urbanized, with over 80 percent of its inhabitants concentrated in large and medium-sized cities, many near the southern border. Canada's climate varies widely across its vast area, ranging from arctic weather in the north, to hot summers in the southern regions, with four distinct seasons.

State park protected area managed at the federated state level

State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational potential. There are state parks under the administration of the government of each U.S. state, some of the Mexican states, and in Brazil. The term is also used in the Australian state of Victoria. The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa and Belgium, is provincial park. Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYS OPRHP) is a state agency within the New York State Executive Department charged with the operation of state parks and historic sites within the U.S. state of New York. As of 2014, the NYS OPRHP manages nearly 335,000 acres of public lands and facilities, including 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, that are visited by over 62 million visitors each year.

History

During the latter half of the 19th century, the Thousand Islands region increasingly became the focus of outdoor recreation, tourism, and private development. The New York side of the St. Lawrence River in particular became host to a number of lavish private estates built by wealthy newcomers to the region, to the exclusion of recreational visitors; in addition, river anglers grew frustrated with the impacts of illegal fishing and the lack of enforcement of game laws. In response to what they viewed as the spoiling of a formerly open and abundant recreational resource, some of the region's residents and sportsmen began to recognize the need for protection of lands and waters on both sides of the river's international border. [1] [2]

Angling method of fishing

Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle". The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Modern fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. Tenkara fishing and cane pole fishing are two techniques that do not use a reel. The hook itself can be dressed with bait, but sometimes a lure, with hooks attached to it, is used in place of a hook and bait. A bite indicator such as a float, and a weight or sinker are sometimes used.

Among the principle proponents of an international park in the Thousand Islands was the Anglers' Association of the St. Lawrence River, who were concerned with protecting the river's fishing resources from commercial exploitation. [3] The association included prominent landowners from both the American and Canadian sides of the river, and during the 1880s they began to lobby both governments to establish consistent regulations and set aside public lands for recreational purposes. [1] [4]

Development by New York

Pavilion and picnic area at Cedar Point, c. 1901 St. Lawrence Reservation - Cedar Point - 1901 report 01.tif
Pavilion and picnic area at Cedar Point, c. 1901

In 1896, the "State Reservation on the St. Lawrence" was officially established by the New York State Legislature, who designated "all that part of the river Saint Lawrence lying and being within the state of New York, with the islands therein" as an international park. The newly created reservation was placed under the control of the New York State Fisheries, Game and Forest Commission, who were charged with creating laws and regulations pertaining to state lands within the reservation. [5]

New York State Legislature state legislature of the U.S. state of New York

The New York State Legislature consists of the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York. The New York Constitution does not designate an official term for the two houses together. It says only that "legislative power is vested in the senate and assembly." The session laws are published in the official Laws of New York. The permanent laws of a general nature are codified in the Consolidated Laws of New York. The legislature is seated at the New York State Capitol in Albany.

Prior to the reservation's creation, the state of New York did not own any land within the newly protected region, which spanned approximately 100 miles (160 km) of the river. The Fisheries, Game and Forest Commission began purchasing properties in 1897, having been authorized to spend $30,000 to acquire lands for the reservation. [6] Difficulties arose when some landowners significantly inflated their asking prices upon learning of the state's interest in the region; in response, the state considered taking legal action against some property owners. Local municipalities, particularly Ogdensburg and Clayton, also fought over where the state should focus their establishment of parks. [7]

Ogdensburg, New York City in New York, United States

Ogdensburg is a city in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 11,128 at the 2010 census. In the late 18th century, European-American settlers named the community after American land owner and developer Samuel Ogden.

Clayton, New York Town in New York, United States

Clayton is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 5,153 at the 2010 census. The town is named after John M. Clayton, a federal political leader from Delaware.

By 1898, the Fisheries, Game and Forest Commission had purchased the following properties to be included within the reservation: [8]

Mary Island and Canoe Point were both purchased in 1897; [6] the remainder were acquired in 1898. [8] Among the early locations intended for inclusion in the reservation was a peninsula known as Cement Point on Grindstone Island; however it was eventually declined by the state due to uncertainty regarding its legal ownership. [9] These purchases were some of the earliest actions taken by New York State to preserve lands for recreational purposes, preceded only by the protection of the Forest Preserve and the Niagara Reservation. [10]

A camper makes use of a cooking stove installed at Watterson's Point, c. 1901 St. Lawrence Reservation - Watterson Point - 1901 report 03.tif
A camper makes use of a cooking stove installed at Watterson's Point, c. 1901

The state-owned reservation lands were intended to facilitate picnicking and camping by boaters on the St. Lawrence River. To this end, the state quickly enacted improvements on their new lands. By the close of 1899, most of the parks included piers suitable for steamboats, docks for smaller watercraft, and pavilions. To prevent wildfires, cooking stoves were constructed at most parks for use of campers. [11]

In 1911, the reservation's name was officially adopted as the "St. Lawrence Reservation", and the area was simultaneously expanded to include portions of Lake Ontario adjacent to Jefferson County, including several bays (Chaumont Bay, Guffins Bay, Black River Bay and Henderson Bay) and their islands. [12] [13] Long Point on Chaumont Bay was purchased to be included in the reservation in 1913. [14] By the late 1920s, Grass Point had been purchased by the state, [15] and would be the last parcel to be added to the reservation.

Development by Canada

An 1898 map showing the locations of both American and Canadian public lands (in black) in the Thousand Islands region Thousand Islands 1898 map.jpg
An 1898 map showing the locations of both American and Canadian public lands (in black) in the Thousand Islands region

Concurrent with the initial actions of New York State to develop recreational grounds in the Thousand Islands, the Canadian government also moved to protect islands within their jurisdiction. By 1896, Canada had identified 11 islands for potential protection and recreational development within the region. [1] [3]

In contrast to New York, Canada did not need to purchase islands in order to protect them from further development. An agreement between the Mississaugas and Canada had kept the title of many St. Lawrence River islands in the hands of Canada, and only beginning in the 1880s was the agreement modified to allow for sale of the islands to private individuals. In 1904, 11 islands were officially purchased by Canada to form the basis of the St. Lawrence National Park, known today as Thousand Islands National Park. [1] [3] [16] The recreational facilities that were subsequently developed on the Canadian islands were similar to those found on the American side of the river. [17]

The parks today

Although public parks were developed on both sides of the St. Lawrence River, a formal international park never materialized. Contrary to early intentions and attempts to harmonize fishing laws and other regulations on both sides of the border, laws ultimately diverged in the early 20th century; in addition, the United States federal government did not involve themselves with the parks on the American side of the river. [3] [9] Despite the lack of formal agreement binding the Canadian and American parks, New York continued to market the Thousand Islands as being an "international park" as late as 1929. [18]

In 1932, direct control of the majority of the St. Lawrence Reservation's parks was removed from the Conservation Department's Division of Lands and Forests (successor of the Fisheries, Game and Forest Commission) and placed in the hands of the newly created Thousand Islands State Park Commission, a governor-appointed board that reported to the Conservation Department's Division of Parks. With the change in leadership, work began to develop the reservation's lands into independent state parks. [19] [20] The formal definition of the St. Lawrence Reservation was removed from the Lands and Forests Law in 1963, in recognition of the fact that the defined lands were no longer under the jurisdiction of the Conservation Department's Division of Lands and Forests. [21]

The former reservation's parks are today managed by the Thousand Islands Region of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, along with additional state parks along the St. Lawrence River that were procured after the creation of the Thousand Islands State Park Commission. [22]

See also

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Robert Moses State Park (Thousand Islands)

Robert Moses State Park - Thousand Islands is a 2,322-acre (9.40 km2) state park located on Barnhart Island in the Saint Lawrence River and the adjacent mainland in the Town of Massena in St. Lawrence County, New York. The park is north of the Village of Massena, near the Canada–US border.

Kring Point State Park

Kring Point State Park is a 61-acre (0.25 km2) state park located on the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Alexandria in Jefferson County, New York. The park is north of Alexandria Bay near the St. Lawrence County line and is connected to NY 12 by Kring Point Road.

Cedar Island State Park

Cedar Island State Park is a 10-acre (4.0 ha) state park located in the Town of Hammond in St. Lawrence County, New York. The park comprises half of Cedar Island, located in Chippewa Bay in the St. Lawrence River, part of the Thousand Islands region. The remainder of the island is privately owned.

Wellesley Island State Park

Wellesley Island State Park is a 2,636-acre (10.67 km2) state park located on Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County, New York. The park is divided into sections that are on different parts of the island. It has the largest camping complex in the Thousand Islands region, including wilderness campsites on the banks of the St. Lawrence accessible only by foot or boat. The park is open year-round.

Canoe-Picnic Point State Park

Canoe-Picnic Point State Park is a 70-acre (0.28 km2) state park located on Grindstone Island in the St. Lawrence River. The park is within the bounds of the Town of Clayton in Jefferson County, New York.

Mary Island State Park

Mary Island State Park is a 13-acre (5.3 ha) state park located in the St. Lawrence River in Jefferson County, New York. The park is situated in the Town of Alexandria on the east end of Wellesley Island, and is accessible only by boat.

Dewolf Point State Park

Dewolf Point State Park is a 13-acre (0.053 km2) state park on Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River. The park is situated within the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County, New York. The park was established in 1898 as part of the St. Lawrence Reservation.

Burnham Point State Park

Burnham Point State Park is a 12-acre (0.049 km2) state park located on the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The park is approximately 32 miles (51 km) north of Watertown.

Long Point State Park – Thousand Islands

Long Point State Park – Thousand Islands is a 23-acre (0.093 km2) state park located at the northeast tip of Point Peninsula on Lake Ontario's Chaumont Bay. The park is located in the Town of Lyme in Jefferson County, New York.

Cedar Point State Park

Cedar Point State Park is a 48-acre (0.19 km2) state park located on Cedar Point in the Town of Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, New York. The park is located on Route 12E on the St. Lawrence River.

Waterson Point State Park

Waterson Point State Park is a six-acre (2.4 ha) state park located on Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County, New York. It is near Wellesley Island State Park.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation New Yorks state-level environmental regulator

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New York State Forests

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Galop Island

Galop Island is an uninhabited island in the Saint Lawrence River located in St. Lawrence County, northeast of Ogdensburg, New York. The 675-acre (2.73 km2) island is owned by the New York Power Authority and managed by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation as the undeveloped Galop Island State Park.

Cuba Lake

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Strough, Arthur B. (January 30, 1902). "The St. Lawrence Reservation or International Park". Seventh Annual Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests of the State of New York. J.B. Lyon Company, State Printers. pp. 71–86.
  2. ↑ Hubbard, Leonidas Jr. (1901). "The Saving of the St. Lawrence: The International Park of the Thousand Islands". Outing. Outing Publishing Company. 38: 711–714. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Malo, Paul (September 15, 2006). "The Vision of the Anglers' Association of the St. Lawrence River". Thousand Islands Life. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  4. ↑ Haddock, John A. (1896). "An International Park". The Picturesque St. Lawrence River: A Souvenir of the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River. Weed-Parsons Printing Company. p. 51. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Chap. 802: An act for the establishment of a State reservation upon and along the Saint Lawrence river in the state of New York". Laws of the State of New York, Volume 1. Albany, NY: New York State Legislature. 1896. p. 746. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "The State Reservation Upon and Along the St. Lawrence River". Third Annual Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests of the State of New York. Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford Co., Printers. January 20, 1898. p. 144.
  7. ↑ "At the Thousand Islands, The Proposed International Park - Meet of American Canoeists" (PDF). The New York Times. August 1, 1897. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  8. 1 2 "The St. Lawrence River Park". Fourth Annual Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests of the State of New York. Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford Co., Printers. January 20, 1899. p. 124.
  9. 1 2 Ennis, Rex (May 13, 2009). "Grindstone's Missing State Park". Thousand Islands Life. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  10. ↑ Natural Heritage Trust; New York State Office of Parks & Recreation; New York State Council of Parks & Recreation (1975). Fifty Years: New York State Parks, 1924-1974. Natural Heritage Trust. pp. 10–12. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  11. ↑ "The St. Lawrence Reservation". Sixth Annual Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests of the State of New York. J.B. Lyon Company, State Printers. January 21, 1901. pp. 45–46.
  12. ↑ Strough, Arthur B. (June 1919). "The St. Lawrence Reservation". The Conservationist. 2 (6): 83. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  13. ↑ Pettis, C.R. (1919). Recreation Circular 1: New York State Parks and Reservations. State of New York Conservation Commission. p. 17. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Reservations". Third Annual Report of the Conservation Commission. J.B. Lyon Company, Printers. January 15, 1914. p. 123. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  15. ↑ "St. Lawrence Reservation". State of New York Conservation Department, Seventeenth Annual Report, For the Year 1927. J.B. Lyon Company, State Printers. 1928. pp. 168–170. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  16. ↑ "St. Lawrence Islands Park". Seventeenth Annual Report of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society to the Legislature of the State of New York. American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. 1912. pp. 288–289. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  17. ↑ Strough, Arthur B. (1919). Recreation Circular 5: St. Lawrence Reservation. State of New York Conservation Commission. p. 17. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  18. ↑ "The St. Lawrence Reservation with Thousand Islands, International Park". State of New York Welcomes You. New York Conservation Commission, Bureau of State Publicity. 1929. p. 15. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Centennial Parks". The New York State Preservationist. NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. 10 (1): 7. Spring–Summer 2001.
  20. ↑ "Division of Parks". State of New York Conservation Department, Twenty-Second Annual Report, For the Year 1932. 1933. pp. 343–344. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Lands and Forests Recodification". Report of the Joint Legislative Committee on Revision of the Conservation Law, 1962–1963. March 19, 1963. p. 93. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Thousand Islands Region". NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Retrieved November 25, 2016.

Coordinates: 44°16′N76°03′W / 44.27°N 76.05°W / 44.27; -76.05

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