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Celebrating Over a Century of New Year’s Eve in Times Square

One Times Square, located at the bustling intersection of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, stands as the symbolic site where each year concludes and a new one begins.

Each New Year’s Eve, a vibrant crowd gathers around the iconic building to witness the Times Square ball as it gracefully descends a pole, marking the arrival of the New Year. This cherished tradition, which started in 1907, attracts not only thousands present in person but also nearly a billion viewers tuning in from around the globe. The event features an assortment of festive celebrations, all largely supported by corporate sponsorships eager to capitalize on the renewed aspirations that accompany New Year’s resolutions.

The roots of this grand celebration can be traced back 120 years. The initial push came from Adolph Simon Ochs, the esteemed publisher of the New York Times, who sought to generate buzz for the paper’s new headquarters. In the transition from 1904 to 1905, a dazzling fireworks display illuminated the skies, signaling the New Year. The Times described the spectacle as a “torch to usher in the new born, a funeral pyre for the old,” emphasizing the celebratory and transformative spirit of the event.

However, the fireworks were short-lived, lasting only until 1906. By the next New Year’s celebration, Ochs opted for a new symbol of the season’s change: a robust ball, crafted by sign maker Artkraft Strauss, weighing 700 pounds and adorned with 100 lightbulbs, debuted in 1907, initiating the longstanding tradition of the ball drop.

The inaugural event saw an enthusiastic turnout. As described by the Times, revelers poured into the area, their excitement palpable as the ball descended, ringing in 1908. The scene was one of lively chaos, with remnants of celebratory items scattered across the square—“broken horns, demolished and cast-aside rattlers, soiled confetti,” they reported.

The concept of time balls is not new; it originated in 1818 with Admiral Robert Wauchope of the Royal Navy, who devised a method for ships to accurately gauge time at sea. Initially using flags, he found that a descending ball provided a more visible and reliable indicator. This innovation eventually led to the installation of a time ball at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich in 1833, where it would rise and fall daily to assist ships navigating the Thames.

Ochs may have drawn inspiration from the time ball atop the Western Union Building, which dropped daily at noon, synchronized via telegraph to maintain precision.

Since its inception, the Times Square ball drop has continued annually, with only a couple of exceptions: during the wartime years of 1942 and 1943, when dimouts meant to conserve light were enforced. During those years, the observance was muted, featuring recorded bells and moments of silence instead of the usual festivities.

In 1961, the New York Times sold its headquarters, leading to significant changes in the building, which was transformed by various owners—including Allied Chemical, which stripped the original structure into a modern glass edifice. Since then, the Times Square ball has undergone multiple redesigns, varying in size, weight, and design. It remarkably became a red apple with a green stem in the 1980s, promoting a tourism campaign for New York City.

Today, the Times Square ball has reached a level of grandeur unparalleled in its history. According to its official website, the current “Big Ball” shines brightly, measuring 12 feet in diameter, weighing nearly six tons, and adorned with over 32,000 LEDs, contributing to the year-round allure of Times Square.

The Times Square ball drop not only symbolizes the passage of time but serves as a potent reminder of the enduring spirit of celebration and hope that accompanies the New Year.

Source
www.smithsonianmag.com