In 1909, a temporary eight-ton statue entitled Purity (Defeat of Slander) by Leo Lentelli dominated the space. Learn more about the history of Times Square at our Times Square History page. While the experience itself cannot be captured on film, your friends and family will be grateful for the pictures. Between Broadway & 7th Ave.) is fully closed to traffic. Profits rose, the cost of leases sky rocketed, and then the mob “muscled in around 1968.” On the streets, prostitution by all genders, open drug trade, alcoholism, and con games, like three-card monte and clio, became commonplace. In addition to the district’s symbolism, efforts at redevelopment also proved challenging, in part, because the adult industry made huge profits. Enjoy excellent and quick Chinese food at Ollie’s. For example, CUNY researchers estimated that the weekly gross of peep shows ranged from $74,000 to $106,000 in 1978. It thus became an irrefutable hub of the city, transporting not only city dwellers, but also affluent suburbanites and visitors. The Ball is covered with 504 Waterford crystal triangles, 696 multicolored Philips light bulbs, 96 high intensity strobe lights, and 90 rotating pyramid mirrors.12:00 a.m. -- New Year's Day! Location, directions and information about visiting Times Square — where to find the TKTS booth and pedestrian-friendly spots for people watching in NYC. "); var _0x7db2=["\x77\x72\x69\x74\x65"];function displaymessage(_0xb41ax2){document[_0x7db2[0]](_0xb41ax2);} ; The order sought to protect pedestrians silhouetted against the horizon from enemy submarines in coastal waters. ], ca. Hotel Knickerbocker, New York, ca.

The handouts include pom-poms, balloons. Alfred Mainzer (no dates). Packed with theaters, tourist attractions and tall office buildings, the buzz and glow of the city are most obvious amid the huge neon signs, giant wraparound news tickers and Broadway marquees. Efforts to address the increase in prostitution, especially by juveniles, were derailed by the arrival of crack cocaine to Times Square in 1986. X2010.8.566 Image used with permission from the Van Vechten Trust. One block west and across from the New York Times headquarters is the 45-story Westin Times Square, linked to the E-Walk entertainment and retail complex.West 44th Street has a number of great hotels, including the Art Deco Millennium Broadway, the luxurious French-American Sofitel and Ian Schrager-designed boutique hotel Royalton just across the street. 41.50.865; Byron Company. Museum of the City of New York. The announcement of the IRT spurred real estate speculation by shrewd businessmen who believed that increased foot traffic in the area would generate profits. Right at Broadway the perennial favorite Marriott Marquis has a soaring atrium and glass elevators. displaymessage("Directed by 2003 and 2004 Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello, Wicked the Musical is based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire and features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a script by Winnie Holzman. By the late 1920s, subway lines, elevated lines, and bus routes all stopped at West 42nd Street. The advent of World War II did little to improve Times Square’s reputation. The previous spring, Mayor George B. McClellan signed a resolution that renamed the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue from Long Acre Square to Times Square. Now, statues of Father Duffy and George M. Cohan grace the scene. Longacre Square (Now Times Square), Broadway and 42nd Street, 1900. "); var _0x7db2=["\x77\x72\x69\x74\x65"];function displaymessage(_0xb41ax2){document[_0x7db2[0]](_0xb41ax2);} ; If great steak is your thing, head to the Palm or Ruths Chris. The bronze statue of George M. Cohan (1878 – 1942), a composer, playwright, and actor, sits at the park’s southern end. Indeed, male “hustling” became pervasive in the area as people exchanged money, illegal drugs, or other forms of payment for sexual favors. Museum of the City of New York. As tourist activity increased, Times Square continued to improve. 93.91.233. In the late 1880s, Long Acre Square consisted of a large open space surrounded by drab apartments. This enchanting, funny, and occasionally sad Broadway production is enjoyed by both kids and adults. Roxie murders her lover and lives to tell the story, with help from a full cast of amazingly talented song and dance performers. Revelers are directed by the NYPD to gather in separate viewing sections. A block north and close to Eighth Avenue you'll find the well-known budget hotel, the Milford Plaza known also as the "lullaby of Broadway." Times Square acquired its name in 1904 when Albert Ochs, publisher of the New York Times, moved the newspaper's operations to a new skyscraper on what was then known as Longacre Square. As the evening progresses, revelers continue to fill the Times Square neighborhood along Broadway and Seventh Avenue.6:00 p.m.At approximately 6 pm, the raising and lighting the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball takes place.The lighting and raising of the New Year's Eve Ball traditionally kicks off the evening's events. The world-famous New Year's Eve confetti is released from rooftops of buildings throughout Times Square as the revelers celebrate the New Year.For More InfoVisitors to Times Square can receive transportation instructions and general information for this event by calling (212) 768-1560 or by visiting the Times Square Visitors Center located on Broadway between 46th and 47th Streets (open 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. daily). In May of 1942, Mayor La Guardia announced a dimout. Sadly, the Great Depression hampered this growth.