New York Times ball drop | Its early history
Dec 30, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns
Image by SimonPix
New Year’s Eve has always been a time for celebration and self-reflection. One of our favorite traditions is the New York Times ball drop, so we thought we’d uncover a little more about this fun custom. Its roots are pretty intriguing and we hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed researching it. All of us at Cause A Frockus wish you a wonderful new year filled with vintage adventures!
The story of the New York Times ball drop starts with some creative marketing from a master promoter. Adolph Ochs, owner of the New York Times newspaper, wanted to promote his newly completed headquarters. His first step was to lobby city leaders to change the name of his address from Longacre Square to Times Square. Once the location was ready, he set off to create the New Year’s Eve party to end all New Year’s Eve parties.
Longacre Square, NYC, 1880
The first celebration in the newly minted Times Square took place in 1903, which coincidentally marked the first year for the Manhattan subway line. Crowds gathered by the thousands as fireworks lit up the rooftop and created quite a spectacle. One Times Square was the second tallest skyscraper in the Manhattan area at the time and soon the party’s reputation spread city-wide, replacing Trinity Church’s event as the best festivity in town.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. A mere two years later, the city banned the use of fireworks and Ochs’ party planning hit a speed bump. Not to be deterred, Ochs turned to his team and brainstormed even grander party plans.
One Times Square, 1903
The chief electrician for the newspaper, Walter F. Painer, is credited with the idea of using a time ball. We need to remember that during this day and age, people had to wind up their watches and clocks. Time balls were a useful aid in making sure you were staying on track, since they dropped at a preset time. First invented in 1829, they fell out of favor by the early 1920s with the advent of radio time signals.
Designed by Artkraft Strauss, the original ball was made of iron and wood, covered in 100 incandescent light bulbs, weighed 700 pounds, and was five feet in diameter. Debuting in 1907, it was hoisted on a rooftop flag pole by six men.
Adolph and his daughter Iphigene, 1902
By 1913 the New York Times had moved from One Times Square to 229 West 43rd Street, yet they retained ownership of the skyscraper and continued to host its annual event. Seven years later the original ball was retired and replaced with a lighter version. The only years the ball drop tradition did not happen were during World War II. In 1942 and 1943 a moment of silence was observed, complying with the blackout requirements. Party goers reflected upon the sacrifices made while the sound of chimes played from trucks parked near the square.
On that note, let’s all take a moment to be thankful for the sacrifices made by those around us, appreciate the people in our lives, and start the new year with the enthusiasm of Adolph Ochs!
Cause A Frockus would like to thank our tremendous resources: Wikipedia & the people who put their images up without restriction, the official Times Square Ball blog, the New York Public Library, and the Atlantic. Check out the NY City Library Guide here for more info!
For our readers: Tell us about your favorite New Year’s Eve traditions!