ðə dˌʌbəljˌuːˌɛmˈeɪ wʌz kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi tˈuː ˈæftɚ ðə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk stˈeɪt ˈɑːfɪs ʌv pˈɑːɹks, ɹˌɛkɹiːˈeɪʃən ænd hɪstˈɔːɹɪk pɹˌɛzɚvˈeɪʃən nˈaɪsɑːprp tɹænsfˈɜːd ˈɔːl bˌʌt ɐpɹˈɑːksɪmətli ʌvðə fˈɔːɹmɚ bɹˈædək bˈeɪ stˈeɪt pˈɑːɹk ɪstˈæblɪʃt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti sˈɪks tə ðə nˈɪsdɛk.
The WMA was created in 1982 after the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYSOPRHP) transferred all but approximately  of the former Braddock Bay State Park (established in 1956) to the NYSDEC.