In , The New York Times newspaper was about to open their new headquarters, the city's second tallest building, in what was then known as Longacre Square. The paper's owner, Adolph Ochs, decided to commemorate their opening with a midnight fireworks show on the roof of the building on December 31, After four years of New Year's Eve fireworks celebrations, Ochs wanted a bigger spectacle at the building to draw more attention to the newly-renamed Times Square. An electrician was hired to construct a lighted Ball to be lowered from the flagpole on the roof of One Times Square.
The iron Ball was only 5 feet in diameter! The very first drop was on New Year's Eve , one second after midnight. Though the Times would later move its headquarters, the New Year's Eve celebration at One Times Square remains a focal celebration for the world. The Ball has gone through some major transformations in its plus years of partying. The original Ball was replaced in with a 5-foot, pound iron Ball. This Ball lasted to , when a third Ball debuted, adding rhinestones and a computerized lighting system featuring strobe lights.
For the arrival of the new millennium, an entirely new Ball was constructed. In , the U. John Quincy Adams is said to have enjoyed strolling by to watch the time ball fall while he was a Congressman.
But this method had quite a few kinks. Naval Observatory. Still, by the late 19th century, the impractical devices were mostly on their way out, or at least reduced to a more decorative or symbolic role. Above all else came the wild human hullabaloo of noise. Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia. An immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr designed the ball and adorned it with light bulbs. Starr's company Artkraft Strauss was in charge of lowering the ball at the stroke of midnight with an elaborate pulley system.
When it dropped for the first time in , it started a tradition that still happens over years later. At the start of the roaring '20s, a less heavy ball replaced the original iron and wood one. The new ball weighed pounds and was made of wrought iron, according to the Times Square Alliance.
The ball has dropped every year since except for and At the time, the country was fighting in World War II and New York City participated in a "dim-out" to protect the city from air and naval attacks.
The new ball made of aluminum was only pounds — the lightest it has ever weighed. The aluminum ball was affixed with red light bulbs and a green stem to resemble an apple in The new ball was part of an "I Love New York" marketing campaign.
For seven years until , people celebrated by watching the apple drop from the Times Tower. The traditional aluminum white ball returned in By , the ball was adorned with an aluminum skin, rhinestones, and strobes. Perhaps the most important upgrade was the addition of computer controls that lowered the ball come midnight.
The aluminum ball dropped for the last time To celebrate the new millennium in , the ball was redesigned by Waterford Crystal and Philips Lighting. The new ball was decorated with crystals and lighting that lit up the night sky to celebrate the new year. New Year's Eve marked years since the first ball dropped, so a new ball was created to celebrate the anniversary.
The light bulbs that were used on all the other versions were retired and replaced with LED lighting that could change colors and dazzle audiences from afar.
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