It was 5.47 miles (8.80 km) long and connected the hamlet of Preston to the nearby city of Norwich.

[4] The highway proceeded eastward, climbing the side of a hill approximately 1,560 feet (480 m) above sea level at its peak.

NY 319 briefly descended to cross a creek then continued climbing, reaching an elevation of 1,760 feet (540 m) near Packer–Mason Cemetery.

Past CR 19, the highway turned southeastward to descend the side of a ridge overlooking the city of Norwich.

[5] At the bottom of the descent, the route turned eastward and crossed over Canasawacta Creek, a tributary of the Chenango River, as it entered the city of Norwich and became known as West Main Street.

[5] In Norwich, NY 319 served Emmanuel Episcopal Church[6] and passed through the Chenango County Courthouse District, established in 1975 in the city's downtown area.

[17][18] Ownership and maintenance of NY 319 west of the Norwich city limits was slated to be transferred from the state of New York to Chenango County as part of a highway maintenance swap approved by the New York State Legislature and signed into law on February 13, 1962.

However, the swap in maintenance was contingent on the construction and completion of a new alignment for NY 23 in northwestern Chenango County.

[8] The NY 319 designation was also removed from West Main Street in the city of Norwich at this time.