| What makes it historical? |
Why do 50 million people visit Times Square each year? There is a magical energy to this place! It hums with activity from the bustling crowds to the electric power that surges through it at night! It is a place where every picture is a time capsule: I was here at 8:08 AM while The Book of Mormon is still popular and shortly before the release of Captain America: Civil War! You can see the brands that are advertising and the fashion of the pedestrians!
Times Square got started as the drab, residential Longacre Square, but with the installation of New York’s first mass transit system, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT), developers saw great potential here! The New York Times set their headquarters here in 1905, erecting the second tallest building in New York City and changing the name of the square! They also set up the very first New Year’s Eve spectacular!
The Depression was cruel to the Square, and from the 30s until the 70s, this was a haven for drug dealers and adult entertainment. Luckily, though, a major redevelopment push has made Times Square a safer, more welcoming spot, still a major subway hub, and the center of fine theater! |
