What is the name of the large New Year's Eve ball first lowered in Times Square in 1907?

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The large New Year's Eve ball first lowered in Times Square in 1907 was the Times Square Ball.

The first descent took place on December 31, 1907, at the headquarters of The New York Times in the newly named Times Square. Newspaper publisher Adolph Ochs arranged the event as a replacement for fireworks, which city officials had restricted. The ball descended from a flagpole to signal the arrival of 1908.

The original ball was made of iron and wood, measured about five feet in diameter, and was illuminated with electric lights. Later versions became larger and more technologically elaborate, eventually incorporating aluminum, computer-controlled lighting, and crystal panels.

The ceremony was not held during several wartime years when blackout restrictions affected New York. During those years, crowds still gathered and observed moments of silence. Although the design has changed, the annual descent remains directly connected to the 1907 event and the newspaper's former headquarters at One Times Square.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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