When you think of big-screen advertisements, Times Square in New York City is probably one of the first places which comes to mind.

The place is a huge scare full of bright, exciting LED screens showcasing advertisements from some of the biggest companies in the world. Anyone who visits NYC takes a trip to the iconic landmark and it is a bustling space of tourism during the night.

But how did time square become so famous? Obviously, nobody would pay to advertise in a place that gets very little foot traffic, so Times Square must have become famous before it became the advertisement hub of the world right?

Times Square was originally home to many different apartment blocks in the 1880s and there was not much there aside from a few stores and homes. However, in the early 1900s, the owner of The New York Times decided the space was the perfect area to build a new building.

This was to be the second tallest building in New York at the time and therefore finding a space large enough, and visible enough, for such a monumental building was essential.

Long Acre Square, as it was previously known, has now become Times Square and soon the Times Tower stood tall and proud in the space. However, within a decade they had moved on to a larger space.

However, the New Year’s Eve Spectacular had already become a key annual event in the space and this continued on, even to this day crowds gather in times square to celebrate.

Due to the growth in popularity of the space due to the Times Tower, it became a common space for people to move their businesses to, creating advertising billboards. and this is how it grew into the hub of vibrant signage we know and love today.