The Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop began in 1907.
The first ball was lowered from a flagpole atop One Times Square on December 31, 1907, to welcome 1908. The event replaced fireworks that had been used for earlier celebrations near the newspaper district.
The original ball was made of iron and wood, decorated with 100 light bulbs, and measured about five feet (1.5 meters) across. It weighed approximately 700 pounds (318 kilograms), far more than modern versions.
The ball drop was suspended during World War II blackouts in 1942 and 1943. Today, the ceremony is one of the world’s most recognizable New Year’s Eve broadcasts, although the illuminated ball is now a much larger crystal-covered object.