Which New Year's Eve event in New York City was first held in 1907?

The Times Square Ball Drop in New York City was first held in 1907.

The inaugural drop occurred on December 31, 1907, to welcome 1908. Newspaper publisher Adolph Ochs organized the attraction for the headquarters of The New York Times, which had moved to the newly developed Times Square area. The spectacle replaced an earlier fireworks tradition that had been restricted by city rules.

The original ball was built from iron and wood, measured about five feet across, and carried 100 electric light bulbs. Over the decades, the ball was redesigned several times, growing in size and adopting materials such as aluminum, halogen lights, and eventually LED technology and crystal panels.

The ball was not lowered in 1942 or 1943 because wartime blackout restrictions prevented the usual public illumination. Crowds still gathered and observed a minute of silence instead. That interruption is a useful reminder that the event's uninterrupted modern appearance conceals changes caused by technology, city regulations, and national emergencies.