It was assigned in the mid-1930s, originally extending from the Hamilton College campus west of NY 233 to Clinton.

The route progresses eastward past a short strip of a residences as College Street before crossing over a creek and entering the village of Clinton.

College Street continues east from this point as part of NY 12B.

[4] The state of New York assumed maintenance of the east–west roadway linking Hamilton College to the village of Clinton by 1926.

[2][3] In the early 1950s, the route was truncated on its western end to its junction with NY 233 east of the campus.