The Newspaper That Named Times Square (1904)
The Newspaper That Named Times Square (1904)
Times Square took its name from The New York Times in 1904. The newspaper’s new headquarters helped turn Longacre Square into a very different address.
The story behind the scene
Longacre Square had been associated with carriage making and the businesses serving horse traffic. Theatres and new transport links were changing the district as activity moved north through Manhattan.
The New York Times prepared to occupy its new tower in 1904, the year the square was renamed. Its first New Year’s Eve celebration took place that December.
The first ball drop followed in 1907. The tower became One Times Square, although later alterations and advertising changed its outward appearance.
What you’re seeing
The 1908 photograph looks towards the narrow Times Tower, with road traffic and pedestrians around it. In the modern view, screens and advertisements cover much of the surrounding architecture.
Why this photo matters
The newspaper eventually moved away, but its name stayed. The photograph records the square when that association was still new.
Historical photograph: Detroit Publishing Co., 1908, Library of Congress, 2016814669. Modern photograph: Devyn Tapia.
Sources: Times Square Alliance; Museum of the City of New York