Times Square
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What is Times Square?
Times Square is a square in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the intersection of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. It is the heart of the Theater District.
Originally called Long Acre Square, it was renamed in 1904 after The New York Times moved its offices to the Times Tower there. Since 1907, the square has been a gathering place for New Year's celebrations, marked by the annual tradition of lowering a giant ball on New Year’s Eve.
Known as the "Crossroads of the World," Times Square is famous for its bright electric signage and advertising.
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Where is Times Square located?
Times Square is a square in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, formed by the intersection of Seventh Avenue, 42nd Street, and Broadway. It is the center of the Theater District, bounded by Sixth and Eighth avenues to the east and west, and 40th and 53rd streets to the south and north. It got its name in 1904 from The New York Times, which had its offices in the Times Tower there. Times Square is known for its bright electric signage and advertising and is the location of the annual New Year's Eve celebration.
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Why is Times Square famous?
Times Square, located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the intersection of Seventh Avenue, 42nd Street, and Broadway, is famous for several reasons. Named in 1904 after The New York Times, which had its offices there, it quickly became a gathering place for New Yorkers, especially to celebrate New Year's Eve.
By the 1920s, it was known as the "Crossroads of the World," becoming a famous entertainment district with impressive theaters and a central subway station. Times Square is also the preeminent American venue for bright electric signage and advertising, a tradition that continues today.
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What kinds of activities and attractions are found in Times Square?
Located in Midtown Manhattan, Times Square is the center of the Theatre District and is known as the "Crossroads of the World".
Attractions and activities:
* Theater Since the 1890s, Broadway has been a major theatrical center. Times Square drew new audiences with major new stages, skyscrapers, and a chic 42nd Street.
* Signs and advertising Times Square is the preeminent American venue for advances in electric signage and advertising.
* New Year's Eve celebration New Yorkers gather in Times Square to celebrate the arrival of the new year. Since 1907, a tradition began where a huge glass ball is lowered down a flagpole at midnight on New Year’s Eve.2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How does Times Square celebrate New Year's Eve?
Times Square celebrates New Year's Eve with a tradition that began in 1907. The New York Times introduced a new attraction to bring revelers to Times Square: the New Year's Eve Ball. The first ball, made of iron and wood, was lowered from a flagpole atop the Times building at midnight to mark the new year.
With few exceptions during World War II, the ball drop has been an annual tradition. The ball's design has evolved over the years, and since 2009, it has been the "Big Times Square New Year's Eve Ball" that drops: a geodesic sphere covered in Waterford Crystal triangles. The celebration, shared via live television broadcasts, draws tens of millions of people across the United States.
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How has Times Square changed over time?
Times Square, located in Midtown Manhattan, has undergone significant transformations throughout its history. Originally known as Long Acre Square, it gained an unsavory reputation in the 1890s as a hub for illicit activities.
The square was renamed in 1904 in honor of The New York Times and soon became a focal point for New Year's celebrations. The early 20th century saw the establishment of impressive theaters, contributing to the area's fame as an entertainment district and earning it the nickname "Crossroads of the World".
However, the Great Depression led to theater closures and a decline in the area's reputation. By the 1960s and 70s, Times Square was associated with adult entertainment and crime. The 1990s marked a resurgence, driven by Mayor Rudy Giuliani's advocacy and investments from companies like Disney, transforming it into a tourist-friendly destination. Today, Times Square is known for its bright electric signage and advertising.
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Times Square, square in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, formed by the intersection of Seventh Avenue, 42nd Street, and Broadway. Times Square is also the centre of the Theatre District, which is bounded roughly by Sixth and Eighth avenues to the east and west, respectively, and by 40th and 53rd streets to the south and north, respectively.
Known early on as Long Acre (also spelled Longacre) Square, it had an unsavory reputation as the centre of illicit activity in the 1890s, though earlier in the 19th century it had been both a commercial and a residential area. The square was renamed in 1904 for The New York Times, which opened its new offices in the Times Tower on the square (though it would outgrow them by 1913). Almost immediately the square became the place where New Yorkers gathered to celebrate the arrival of the new year. In 1907 the Times began lowering a huge glass ball down its flagpole at midnight on New Year’s Eve to mark the occasion. Throughout the years, ever more sophisticated technology was used for the square’s ball drop as the tradition came to include live television broadcasts that shared the experience with tens of millions of people across the United States.
At the turn of the 20th century, a number of impressive theatres were established on 42nd Street, and by the second decade of the century the Times Square and Broadway area had become arguably the most famous entertainment district in the country, partly because of the square’s central location and because situated beneath it was a large station for the newly constructed subway. During this period it earned the nickname “Crossroads of the World.” Moreover, in short order Broadway became synonymous with American theatre, especially musical theatre.
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As the Great Depression deepened, legitimate theatres on Time Square began to close and were frequently converted to motion picture theatres. As the 20th century progressed, the area became increasingly tawdry. By the 1960s and ’70s it had become a centre for sleazy adult entertainment and was again crime-ridden. Time Square’s resurgence in the 1990s, with the introduction of large tourist-friendly stores, theatres, and restaurants, is often credited to advocacy by Mayor Rudy Giuliani and to investment in the area by the Disney Company.
Early on, Times Square became the preeminent American venue for advances in big, bright electric signage and advertising, especially after the introduction of neon signs in the 1920s. Beginning in 1928, the Times “zipper” used some 14,800 lightbulbs to render moving headlines. Among the square’s most famous signs were those depicting a huge coffee cup, out of which real steam rose, and a cigarette-smoking man, blowing steam-generated smoke rings. Since the late 20th century the tenants in Times Square buildings have been required by law to display eye-catching signs, and, as a result, the area remains a flashing, nonstop feast for the eyes.