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10 facts about Times Square  E-mail
Friday, 15 April 2011 04:48

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Bill Clinton eulogised the Times Square of old, recalling the old mix of prostitutes and colourful characters as “romantic” and “fascinating”. Here are 10 facts about Times Square:

1. Formerly named Longacre Square, it was renamed in April 1904 after the New York Times moved its headquarters to the Times Building, now called One Times Square.

2. Nicknames include 'The Crossroads of the World' and 'The Great White Way', and reportedly 'The Tenderloin' because it was supposedly the most desirable location in Manhatten in the 1920s.

3. The 1929 stock market crash took its toll on the area, with many businesses moving out of the area to be replace with seedier forms of entertainment, including pornographic "peep shows".

4. New York City began a slow but steady push to clean up Times Square in the 1990s led by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani - the process was referred to as the 'Disneyfication'.

5. On New Year's Eve, close to a million people congregrate to celebrate the 'Dropping of the Ball'.

6. The ball was replaced by an energy efficient ball in 2008.

7. In 1972, Dick Clark began hosting the half-hour special Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

8. The location has been used in numerous films, including Vanilla Sky when it is depicted as eerily quiet, and a post-apocalyptic version in I Am Legend.

9. Famous for its electric, neon and illuminated signs including Coca-Cola, Toshiba and the curved NASDAQ sign.

10. In February this year, Times Square became smoke free.

For more Times Square articles like 10 facts about Times Square please visit the NYC TS History Section of TimesSquare.com

 


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