New York City first celebrated New Year’s Eve with organized Times Square fireworks in 1904.
The celebration marked the official opening of the new headquarters of The New York Times, then called the Times Building and now One Times Square. Publisher Adolph Ochs organized a large public event featuring fireworks at midnight, drawing crowds to Longacre Square, which was renamed Times Square earlier that year.
The fireworks tradition did not last indefinitely. After safety concerns and city restrictions made fireworks impractical, the newspaper introduced the illuminated ball drop in 1907. That replacement became the enduring symbol of the event.
The 1904 fireworks and the 1907 ball drop are therefore separate milestones. The name Times Square dates from 1904, while the famous descending ball began three years later. Modern celebrations use confetti, lighting and pyrotechnic effects, but they descend from this early public spectacle.