New York City is known for its dozens of landmarks. While many are historical and architectual attractions, none capture the popular imagination as much as Times Square. This “Crossroads of the World” has been featured in movies, books, television programs and even music videos and video games. Visitors will find it an irresistable destination, full of restaurants, shops, iconic billboards known as spectaculars and many entertainment venues.
Originally known as Longacre Square, the intersection of Seventh Avenue and Broadway was ernamed in 1904 after the Times Building (known today as One Times Square) which formerly housed the New York Times. This major Manhattan intersection extends on an east-west axis from Sixth Avenue to Eighth Avenue and a south-north axis of West 40th to West 53rd Streets.
Times Square has become a cultural hub and popular gathering place for residents and tourists alike. With Broadway theaters, performance halls, fine restaurants and upscale New York hotel suites. The large video screens and news tickers make it a natural hub for crowds awaiting news or celebrating results of elections and sporting events.
While popular with celebrities in the first part of the twentieth century, Times Square declined during and after the Great Depression, becoming one of the seediest and dangerous neighborhoods in the city by the 1970s. In the 1990s, Mayor Rudy Giuliani led a successful “clean up” campaign that led to a removal of the more objectionable businesses and an influx of tourist-friendy establishments and attractions. A simultaneous restoration of six of the historic 42nd Street theaters contributed to the new image and function of the Times Square area.
Every New Year’s Eve approximately one million people converge on Times Square for the famous “Ball Drop” at midnight. The tradition began in 1907 and features a ball “falling” down a pole atop One Times Square. In recent years the ball was replaced by an LED ball which is more energy-efficient. On December 31, 2008 a new ball debuted that is a permanent installation and will be used throughout the year for holiday celebrations such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day.
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