The alignment of NY 196 dates back to the mid-19th century, as a new road was built in 1850 to connect between Hudson Falls (then known as Sandy Hill) and the hamlet of Adamsville. The Sandy Hill and Adamsville Plank Road was long and replaced a direct road that connected Sandy Hill to South Hartford. The state rebuilt the alignment in 1908 and NY 196 was assigned to its current alignment as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York.