Located at the western side of the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, it grew up around the early Fort Harmar in the 1780s, being settled in conjunction with Marietta.

After a period of forming part of Marietta, it existed separately beginning in 1837 before rejoining the mother city in 1890.

Decades later, disagreements with city leaders prompted Harmar residents to request separation from the rest of the city,[2]: 306  and on January 5, 1837, the General Assembly passed an act incorporating Point Harmar separately from Marietta,[3]: 388  which itself was reincorporated by an act of March 13, 1837.

[3]: 663  Believing the bill's provisions to be in accord with the desires of the residents,[3]: 388  a legislative committee found itself to have been deceived after residents resolved almost unanimously to reject many of the provisions,[3]: 389  and five days after Marietta's incorporation bill passed, the first act was repealed and replaced by a new act drafted to reflect the resolution of Harmar's electorate.

[2]: 164 On January 9, 1970, the neighborhood was the site of fire at the Harmar House Center nursing home, which ultimately killed 32 of the 46 residents.