The heart of New York
If part of the city could proclaim "This is New York!" it would have to be Times Square, with its huge neon billboards. This is where New Year's Eve is celebrated, in the heart of downtown Manhattan. It's a frantic, colorful area whose reputation far exceeds its actual appeal. It has a rather sordid history, but a major campaign to eliminate the prostitutes, drug dealers and graffiti artists has been a considerable success. Today, the square is a safe place for tourists, and you can see many historic theaters. Police officers patrol the area, maintaining order. Times Square was originally called Longacre Square, but changed its name in 1904 when the owner of The New York Times got permission to build the office tower (One Time Square) where the ball drops every New Year's Eve.
