New York City's Times Square is one of the most internationally recognized and visited spots of the world. Today, Times Square is a center for consumerism, culture and cuisine, but the heart of New York has had many personalities throughout its history.
Times Square, originally called Longacre Square, was a point of access to the northern parts of Manhattan. By the 1800s, the district was infamous for its crime, brothels and cheap rooming houses.
In 1904, Mayor George McClellan renamed Longacre Square for its newest tenant, the New York Times. Shortly after the Times' arrival, the newspaper began the tradition of the New Year's Eve ball-drop in Times Square.
As the area became legitimized by the presence of the city's paper, elaborate theaters began opening throughout the district. By the early 1940s, Times Square boasted the world's busiest and most acclaimed theater district.
With the decline of theater's popularity in the 1960s, vice once again took hold of Times Square. This infamous era marked Times Square as a dangerous and seedy haven for pornography, prostitution and drug-dealing.
Under the leadership of Mayor Giuliani, New York City endeavored to remove Times Square's unsavory and criminal elements in a successful effort to attract tourists and residents back to the area. By 2008, Times Square hosted thousands of visitors each day, offering world-famous shopping, restaurants, hotels and theater.
