It is located at the intersection of 161st Street and River Avenue in the Highbridge and Concourse neighborhoods of the Bronx.

As part of Contract 3, the IRT agreed to build an elevated line along Jerome Avenue in the Bronx.

[6][7][8] 161st Street station opened as part of the initial section of the line to Kingsbridge Road on June 2, 1917.

[14] This section was initially served by shuttle service, with passengers transferring at this station.

[15][16] The construction of the line encouraged development along Jerome Avenue, and led to the growth of the surrounding communities.

[21] The building of the line and proposed extensions to central and eastern Bronx (see below) led to real estate booms in the area.

[23] The CC provided local service between Bedford Park Boulevard and Hudson Terminal (now World Trade Center).

[30] This station is located adjacent to Yankee Stadium, and also provides service to many Bronx County courts, government facilities, and shopping districts in Concourse Village, which are a short walk to the east.

[31] Additional service is provided to this station in the form of shuttles from Grand Central, as well as select trains on the Harlem and New Haven lines on game days.

Wall-Slide forms seating on the IND platforms, and also reveals a mosaic work, Room of Tranquility by Helene Brandt, on the IRT mezzanine.

[35] A stub of the Ninth Avenue Line connecting trackway still exists and is visible today.

[31] Before the renovation, there was a full length mezzanine, with Transit Bureau Offices located to one side.