Which New Year's Eve celebration in New York began the modern tradition of dropping a ball at midnight?

The Times Square celebration began the modern tradition of dropping a ball at midnight in New York City.

The first Times Square Ball was lowered on December 31, 1907, above the headquarters of the New York Times. It replaced an earlier fireworks display that could no longer be held after city officials restricted fireworks in the area. The ball provided a visible time signal for the crowds below.

The idea drew on maritime time balls, which were lowered at set times to help ships and observers synchronize their clocks. New York's version turned that practical concept into a public New Year's Eve ritual.

The event was initially associated with Longacre Square, but the district had been renamed Times Square in 1904 after the newspaper moved there. The ball tradition survived interruptions, including wartime blackouts in 1942 and 1943, when the ceremony continued without normal illumination.