times squareOnce world famous for its newspaper industry, Times Square started when Adolph S. Ochs, the then publisher of the New York Times set up his operation at the start of the 20th century.

In 1904 the area was officially renamed and later saw the erection of the first ever sidewalk advertisement to be powered by electricity.

The paper moved on to plusher surroundings in Broadway, a decade later but the name stuck and is referred to these days as One Times Square. Located to the west of Manhattan, near the commercial side, the area is now known for its multitude of advertising media.

Things were very different during the Great Depression and as the economy fell Times Square became a neighborhood in decline. Corruption during the sixties, added to its already dangerous reputation which symbolized the decline of New York City.

When new mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, came into office in the middle of the nineties he vowed to resolve the poverty issues and regenerate the region. Eventually drug dealers and a thriving pornographic industry were driven away by the use of security and surveillance cameras.

Now the square is alive with TV studios such as MTV and a host of other new and exciting ventures aimed at attracting the tourists on mass to this unique and instantly recognizable location.

It is sometimes called the crossroads of the world, but whatever anyone likes to call it, stopping off at this vibrant and unique place should be on everyone’s list of things to do when visiting the Big Apple, as its multitude of attractions are bound to enthrall any visitor. [New York Attractions]

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