Manhattan was home to the first Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop in 1907.
The inaugural drop took place in Times Square, then known as Longacre Square, on December 31, 1907. Times Square is in Midtown Manhattan, the central borough of New York City that contains many of the city's major theaters, offices, and transportation hubs.
The event was organized for the New York Times after its headquarters moved to the area. The newspaper had already helped give the district its new name, and the ball provided a dramatic visual event for crowds gathered to welcome 1908.
The original ball was made of iron and wood and measured about 5 feet in diameter. Later balls became increasingly elaborate, incorporating electric lights, aluminum, crystal, and computer-controlled illumination. Although television made the ceremony globally famous, its geographic setting remains the pedestrian plaza and buildings around One Times Square in Manhattan.