New York’s Times Square first lowered a New Year’s Eve ball in 1907.
The first ball drop took place on December 31, 1907, welcoming 1908. It was organized for the New Year celebration at the headquarters of The New York Times, which had helped give Times Square its name after moving there. The illuminated ball provided a highly visible signal for crowds gathered to mark midnight.
The tradition continued, although the design, materials, and lighting technology changed over time. The ball was not lowered during several wartime New Year celebrations in the early 1940s, when blackout rules required the city to reduce visible lighting. People still gathered and observed midnight more quietly.
The modern event is broadcast worldwide and has become one of the most recognizable New Year countdowns. The first ball was much simpler than the elaborate Waterford crystal-covered versions used in later years. The key date is 1907: the event celebrated the arrival of 1908, not the beginning of 1907.