Both Canada and New York recognized the need to protect St. Lawrence River and its coastal properties as early as 1890. New York began buying properties bordering the river and purchased the section that would later become Burnham Point State Park in 1898. Canada and New York jointly agreed to create an international park, which would be called St. Lawrence Reservation. However, due to new United States federal laws that went into effect in the 1920s, this plan was abandoned. These properties, Burnham Point, were granted state park status, which afforded them some protection from development, mining, and pollution.