Times Square - Vintage Images
Times Square is formed by the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue, between 42nd and 47th streets, in Manhattan. The name comes from the Times Building, completed in 1904, that served as the headquarters of The New York Times, in 1905. It was formerly known as Long Acre Square.
In the 18th century, the area belonged to John Morin Scott (1730-1784), who practiced law in Manhattan and served as a New York alderman.
In the first half of the 19th century it was a rural area and it became a possession of John Jacob Astor (1763-1848), merchant and real estate mogul. About mid-19th century the area was called Long Acre after the Long Acre in London, a historic road. In the second half of the century, the area north of 42d Street was the horse center of New York City. The area around Long Acre Square evolved into an urban area after the opening of Grand Central Depot and the completion of the Third and Sixth Avenue Elevated Railways in 1871. By the 1890s this part of Manhattan was full of shops, theatres, restaurants, cafes and hotels as a result from the northward expansion of the City.
Between about 1902 and 1904, the old Long Acre Square, 42nd Street and Broadway had the New York Subway under construction.
The New York Times Building was erected in 1904 and, before it was completed by the end of the year, the name of the square was changed to Times Square by the Board of Aldermen, who voted on April 5, to rename it and the subway station at that point to be called Times Station, which opened to the public on October 27. The resolution to change these names was signed by Mayor McClellan on April 8.
The 11-story Hotel Astor, between 44th Street and 45th Street, opened in September, 1904. The 33-story Paramount Building was completed in 1926 at 1501 Broadway. It was the headquarters of Paramount Pictures and housed the Paramount Theatre.
By 1920, there were about 40 theaters in the area. Throughout the 20th century, Times Square became the city's flashiest spot, thanks to its abundance of entertainment venues and neon billboards.
More about Times Square
• Map of the Subway, theaters and hotels in 1906 ►
• Seventh Avenue at Times Square ►
• Long Acre Square ►
• Times Square looking south ►
Panorama formed by three photographic prints, about 1909. Times Building, center, Hotel Astor at right and New York Theatre at left. Historical "phostint" postcard by Detroit Publishing Co. (source New York Public Library).
Before Times Building.
The electromechanical news bulletin, known as the zipper, began operating in 1928.
Times Square - Vintage Images
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