The First Times Square NYE Ball Was 700-Pounds Of Iron And Wood
In person the NYE ball can actually be a little underwhelming. I imagine this original itteration was quite a spectacle though. Fun history from Gothamist:
The ball drop tradition began in 1907, and from its very first outing until 1996, the design firm Artkraft Strauss constructed the ball and managed its operation. That first year, the New Year’s Eve ball was 700 pounds of iron and wood, studded with 100 lightbulbs.
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