New York City: Times Square

New York, New York: The bright lights of the Big Apple don’t get any brighter then those that shine at The Crossroads of the World. Giant multi-story billboards grace the buildings of Times Square, making it feel like daylight in the middle of the night.

Although the actual Times Square is located at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, the Times Square commercial district extends much further. Its boundaries are 53rd Street to the north, 40th Street to the south, Sixth Avenue to the east and Eighth Avenue to the west. This tiny neighborhood in midtown Manhattan is one of the busiest commercial center in the city.

The history of the area stretches back to the Revolutionary era. The land was the property of General John Morin Scott of the New York militia. It was used for farming and breeding horses. The area became known as Longacre Square, named after a carriage making district in London.

As lower Manhattan began to flourish, the commercial push continued further up the island. Business tycoon John Jacob Astor took possession of the land and began selling lots to commercial investors.

By 1895, the first theater, the Olympia, opened in the area. Then in 1904, the New York Times moved their operations into a skyscraper on 42nd Street. It was then that New York Mayor George McClellan Jr renamed the area Times Square in recognition of the newspaper.

Times Square flourished in the 1910’s and 1920’s. Several new theaters opened and the region quickly became the cultural center of the city. Many stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Fred Astaire graced the stages of the theaters. Times Square took on the nickname “Tenderloin” since it was the most desirable location in the city.

The condition of the region deteriorated during the Great Depression. Gambling and prostitution quickly became the business and choice as crime and corruption ran the show. Times Square quickly became one of the dangerous neighborhoods in the city. By the 1980’s, the theaters were replaced by adult theaters and sex shops, making it one of the worst areas in the city.

Following a commercial building boom in the late 1980’s, Mayor Rudy Giuliani led an effort to take back Times Square and return it to its splendor. NYPD worked to drive out the criminals and their activities while developers worked to restore the buildings. By the mind 1990’s Times Square was back in action once again as a major tourist attraction.

One of the most popular attractions in Times Square is the famous New Years Eve Celebration. Almost every years since 1907, spectators gathered to celebrate the coming of the new year. The highlight of the celebration is the dropping of a Waterford crystal ball from the top One Times Square. This celebration has been a long standing tradition for the almost one million visitors that pack the streets of Times Square and the millions more that tune in to watch the festivities live on television.

Today millions of visitor’s come to Times Square each year to marvel at the bright lights or to take in a Broadway show. Some come to shop while others come to eat. But no matter what brings them to Times Square, they all leave in awe of sights and sounds of the Crossroads of the World.

For photos of Times Square and the rest of NYC, visit my New York City photo gallery.