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Times Square
Two million people once squeezed into this exact spot you're standing in! That was August 14th, 1945, when the whole world celebrated winning World War Two – imagine being shoulder-to-shoulder with more people than live in entire cities! But here's the wildest part... just 150 years ago, this wasn't the flashy neon wonderland you see now – it was a peaceful farm belonging to John Morin Scott, one of George Washington's own generals! His farmhouse sat right around where that giant McDonald's is now. When the New York Times moved their headquarters here in 1904, they were so excited they put up the very first electric advertisement just three weeks later – and boom, Times Square was born! Today, those massive glowing billboards above you aren't just pretty lights... they're actually REQUIRED by law to keep the square bright and flashy. Look around and count how many different colors are flashing right now – I bet you'll find at least twenty! This crossroads welcomes more visitors every single year than the entire population of South Korea!
Did You Know?
- Times Square was originally called Longacre Square and was renamed in 1904 to honor The New York Times, which built its headquarters there; the famous New Year's Eve ball drop tradition started that same year as a celebration of the newspaper's move, and has continued every year since, watched by millions worldwide.
- During World War II, Times Square made history as the site of one of the largest spontaneous celebrations in U.S. history: on V-J Day (August 14, 1945), the crowd swelled from 500,000 to 2 million people, flooding the streets with joy after news of Japan's surrender flashed on the Times Tower's iconic news zipper.
- Hidden within the bustle of Times Square is Father Duffy Square, named for Father Francis Patrick Duffy, a celebrated military chaplain in both the Spanish-American War and World War I; the square features statues of Father Duffy and Broadway legend George M. Cohan, who wrote 'Give My Regards to Broadway,' and sits near the site of Duffy's former church.