Times Square Before the Screens
Times Square Before the Screens
Times Square was once called Longacre Square. This early view shows the junction before giant illuminated screens became its most conspicuous feature.
The story behind the scene
Longacre Square was associated with carriage making and related businesses. As Manhattan developed northwards, theatres, hotels and other businesses changed the area.
In 1904, the square took the name of The New York Times, which was establishing a new headquarters there.
The Library of Congress catalogues this photograph as Long Acre Square (Times), New York, N.Y., with a broad date range of about 1900 to 1915. The image should therefore not be treated as a confirmed view from before the renaming.
What you’re seeing
The older view is organised around individual building fronts and rooflines. In the modern photograph, large advertisements cover much of the view above a crowded pedestrian area.
Why this photo matters
The two photographs record a change in how the junction is used and seen. Advertising now gives many of the buildings a public face larger than their architecture.
Sources: Times Square Alliance: history; Library of Congress: Long Acre Square (Times).