The New York City district now known as Times Square was originally called Longacre Square when the 1904 celebration began.
The name changed after The New York Times moved its headquarters to a newly built tower at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue. On April 8, 1904, the surrounding area was officially renamed Times Square. The newspaper then held a major New Year's Eve celebration to promote its new building, establishing the district as a center of public festivities.
The first celebration ended with fireworks, but city officials later prohibited fireworks in the area because of safety concerns. The newspaper responded by introducing the illuminated ball drop in 1907, creating the tradition associated with Times Square today.
Longacre Square itself had been linked to the carriage and horse-trade district around Longacre in London. The old name is therefore a reminder that Times Square's identity developed from transportation, publishing, and public entertainment rather than from New Year's Eve alone.