The Chronicle of the Traditional Lower Manhattan New Year's Eve Ball Descent
What initiated the New Year's Eve festivities in Times Square, culminating in observing a ball descending a pole?
The advent of the Times Square ball drop in 1904
The Times Square ball drop began in 1904, having been conceptualized by Jacob Starr, a Ukrainian immigrant and metalworker, and Adolph Ochs, the then-publisher of the New York Times. Ochs, who had previously attracted crowds to the newspaper's skyscraper complex in Times Square using pyrotechnics and fireworks, faced a ban on explosives from city officials. To circumvent this, Ochs enlisted Starr, who was employed by Sign-making firm Strauss Signs (later known as Artkraft Strauss), to develop a new display.
Over the subsequent century, this display, symbolizing the New Year, transformed from an iron and wood cage adorned with bulbs to a stunning technicolor crystal sphere.
Inspiration for this unique spectacle came from time balls, which had gained prominence during the 19th century. These nautical devices helped sailors synchronize their chronometers by raising and lowering metal balls at consistent times within harbors and observatories.
Ochs and the New York Times' chief electrician, Walter Palmer, have received credit for the concept. However, Starr's granddaughter Tama, who joined Artkraft Strauss in 1982 and took over ownership of the company, insists that it was her grandfather who envisioned the ball descending and illuminating with the new year numerals at midnight.
"The intention was to... illuminate it with the newly-emerging electricity in the area," Tama explained. "It was lowered manually by hand, starting at one minute to midnight, and that's how it was done for several years."
"It was a reinterpretation of an old, practical object," she added. "It was an instant hit. People were drawn to it."
Although New York City had already begun illumination with electricity in the early 1880s, records indicate that half of American homes were still using gas lamps and candles up until the 1920s. The sight of a radiant ball descending from the night skies would have been an extraordinary experience.
When the ball reached the parapet displaying the year's numbers, the electrician would switch it off and the numbers would light up simultaneously, giving the illusion that the ball was transforming into numbers.
Restaurants and hotels nearby contributed to the spectacle, as their waiters sported battery-powered “1908” top hats that illuminated at midnight. Tama, recalling the event, stated, "It seemed like magic to people."
Since its origination, various incarnations of the Times Square ball have emerged, from a 700-pound iron ball bedecked with 25-watt bulbs to a more lightweight aluminum frame after World War II. The ball was temporarily replaced by a "Big Apple" during former New York City Mayor Ed Koch's tenure in 1981.
In 1995, the ball underwent a significant makeover, adorned with rhinestones and flashy lights, along with computer controllers. Consequently, traditional sign-makers like Artkraft Strauss were no longer needed. Today's ball, a collaboration between Waterford Crystal and Philips Lighting, utilizes 32,256 LEDs that can exhibit a myriad of colors and patterns on its surface.
Yet, Tama recalls her time as the overseer in Times Square fondly, highlighting the connection between the minute-by-minute countdown and the practice of resolutions.
"When the final minute of the year arrived, the ball was lowered using a complex pulley system," Tama said. "In executing this ritual annually, I see a correlation between the countdown – which I refer to as 'a minute outside of time,' – and making New Year's resolutions."
"As you focus intensely, time appears to slow down," she added. "It felt like the longest minute ever. It felt like you had enough time to wash your hair, call your mother, change your life. You can truly change your life in one minute – you can decide to be different, kinder and better."
This article was originally published in 2021.
The Times Square ball drop's initial design by Jacob Starr and Adolph Ochs in 1904 incorporated an iron and wood cage decorated with bulbs, drawing inspiration from time balls. Over the years, the focus shifted towards creating a technicolor crystal sphere that would illuminate as the new year numerals appeared, showcasing the style and design evolution in the celebration.
