Which 1904 newspaper celebration helped establish Times Square as New York City's New Year's Eve center?

The New York Times celebration helped establish Times Square as New York City's New Year's Eve center in 1904.

The newspaper held a large New Year's Eve celebration to mark the opening of its new headquarters in the building now known as One Times Square. The event included fireworks at midnight and attracted a crowd to the area then known as Longacre Square. In 1905, the city renamed the district Times Square after the newspaper.

The famous ball drop came later, on December 31, 1907, after fireworks were prohibited. That distinction matters: the 1904 celebration established the location's public New Year's identity, while the 1907 event introduced the ball-drop tradition. The square continued to host the ceremony even after The New York Times moved away from the building.