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 and in the world. 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 Avenues, with a branch running to the Hudson River, encompassing most of the island. The company initially had a stock limit of $350,000 ().