The Harlem Line in its current form originated from the New York and Harlem Railroad (NY&H), which was the first streetcar company in the United States.
It was franchised, on April 25, 1831, to run between the original city core in lower Manhattan to the suburb of Harlem, several miles to the north on Manhattan Island.
The railroad's charter allowed the line to run between 23rd Street and any point on the Harlem River between Eighth and Third Avenue, with a branch running to the Hudson River, encompassing most of the island.

While the company wanted to run the line as a steam line, the city made it use horsepower south of 14th Street.
On September 13, 1831, the Board of Directors of the railroad approved its route along Fourth Avenue (renamed Park Avenue on March 1, 1888) from 23rd Street to the Harlem River.
 On April 6, 1832, the railroad's charter was amended to allow the line to be extended south to 14th Street.

On May 2, 1832 the City Common Council secretly granted the railroad the right to lay track along Broadway to City Hall and Bowling Green.
There was a public outcry once this was found out by the general public, and at the time a fraudulent map was circulated showing that the railroad would take up 23 feet (7.0 m) of the street when it would only take up 5 feet (1.5 m).
Newspaper editors also came out against the railroad's plan.
In Spring 1833, the railroad published a pamphlet to refute objections to their plan titled "A Statement of Facts in Relation to the Origin, Progress, and Prospects of the New-York and Harlem Railroad Company."
On March 1, 1833, a meeting was held in Tammany Hall concerning the issue, and at the meeting cab drivers and owners came out against the railroad.
After the meeting, the crowd tore up some of the railroad's track.
After the meeting, the council withdrew its Broadway agreement with the railroad.
The railroad was extended downtown in 1839, but along a different route.

Ground was broken on the construction of the line on February 23, 1832 at Murray Hill on Fourth Avenue.
At the ceremony, Vice President of the railroad, John Mason hinted at the railroad's ambitions saying that while the railroad's principal objective was local, its higher importance was to get to Albany.
In 1832 the company was given permission to raise its stock limit to $500,000.
In November, two horsecars built by John Stephenson were ready for operation, both of which were named after the railroad's president ("John Mason" and "President").

On April 27, 1837, an act was passed in the State Legislature to widen Fourth Avenue between 32nd Street and the Harlem River to provide room for the railroad.
The street was widened by 20 feet (6.1 m) on either side, making the street 140 feet (43 m) wide.
The company ceded the title for the land that would be occupied by Fourth Avenue to the city in exchange for permission to occupy it.
In that same year, the railroad purchased six city lots at Fourth Avenue and 26th Street for $7,000 for the construction of car barns and stables.

The first section, along Bowery from Prince Street north to 14th Street, consisting of .85 miles (1.37 km), opened to the public on November 26, 1832.
On that day a demonstration showing the car's braking ability was conducted, but inadvertently, one horsecar rear-ended into another with no serious injuries.
This might have been the first rear-end collision in the United States.
Service was then extended northward along Fourth Avenue to 32nd Street on June 10, 1833.
The Murray Hill rock cut was completed in 1834, and service along a 4.432 miles (7.133 km)-long segment to 85th Street in Yorkville opened on May 1, 1834.
Service ran every 15 minutes between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m., and ran every 60 minutes to 10 p.m.. A one-way fare cost 12.5 cents Service was extended 2 miles (3.2 km) to finally reach Harlem on October 26, 1837, with the Yorkville Tunnel constructed to reach this point.
At the time, Harlem was just a small suburb of the city.
Service was also extended further south.
On May 4, 1839, the line was extended south along Bowery, Broome Stree
The Harlem Line in its current form originated from the New York and Harlem Railroad (NY&H), which was the first streetcar company in the United States. It was franchised, on April 25, 1831, to run between the original city core in lower Manhattan to the suburb of Harlem, several miles to the north on Manhattan Island. The railroad's charter allowed the line to run between 23rd Street and any point on the Harlem River between Eighth and Third Avenue, with a branch running to the Hudson River, encompassing most of the island.
While the company wanted to run the line as a steam line, the city made it use horsepower south of 14th Street. On September 13, 1831, the Board of Directors of the railroad approved its route along Fourth Avenue (renamed Park Avenue on March 1, 1888) from 23rd Street to the Harlem River.  On April 6, 1832, the railroad's charter was amended to allow the line to be extended south to 14th Street.
On May 2, 1832 the City Common Council secretly granted the railroad the right to lay track along Broadway to City Hall and Bowling Green. There was a public outcry once this was found out by the general public, and at the time a fraudulent map was circulated showing that the railroad would take up 23 feet (7.0 m) of the street when it would only take up 5 feet (1.5 m). Newspaper editors also came out against the railroad's plan. In Spring 1833, the railroad published a pamphlet to refute objections to their plan titled "A Statement of Facts in Relation to the Origin, Progress, and Prospects of the New-York and Harlem Railroad Company." On March 1, 1833, a meeting was held in Tammany Hall concerning the issue, and at the meeting cab drivers and owners came out against the railroad. After the meeting, the crowd tore up some of the railroad's track. After the meeting, the council withdrew its Broadway agreement with the railroad. The railroad was extended downtown in 1839, but along a different route.
Ground was broken on the construction of the line on February 23, 1832 at Murray Hill on Fourth Avenue. At the ceremony, Vice President of the railroad, John Mason hinted at the railroad's ambitions saying that while the railroad's principal objective was local, its higher importance was to get to Albany. In 1832 the company was given permission to raise its stock limit to $500,000. In November, two horsecars built by John Stephenson were ready for operation, both of which were named after the railroad's president ("John Mason" and "President").
On April 27, 1837, an act was passed in the State Legislature to widen Fourth Avenue between 32nd Street and the Harlem River to provide room for the railroad. The street was widened by 20 feet (6.1 m) on either side, making the street 140 feet (43 m) wide. The company ceded the title for the land that would be occupied by Fourth Avenue to the city in exchange for permission to occupy it. In that same year, the railroad purchased six city lots at Fourth Avenue and 26th Street for $7,000 for the construction of car barns and stables.
The first section, along Bowery from Prince Street north to 14th Street, consisting of .85 miles (1.37 km), opened to the public on November 26, 1832. On that day a demonstration showing the car's braking ability was conducted, but inadvertently, one horsecar rear-ended into another with no serious injuries. This might have been the first rear-end collision in the United States. Service was then extended northward along Fourth Avenue to 32nd Street on June 10, 1833. The Murray Hill rock cut was completed in 1834, and service along a 4.432 miles (7.133 km)-long segment to 85th Street in Yorkville opened on May 1, 1834. Service ran every 15 minutes between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m., and ran every 60 minutes to 10 p.m.. A one-way fare cost 12.5 cents Service was extended 2 miles (3.2 km) to finally reach Harlem on October 26, 1837, with the Yorkville Tunnel constructed to reach this point. At the time, Harlem was just a small suburb of the city. Service was also extended further south. On May 4, 1839, the line was extended south along Bowery, Broome Stree
Harlem Line