Where did the new years eve ball drop idea come from?

Question

the ball over times square or the acorn in raleigh, nc - where did that idea originate?
first real answer gets it.

Answer 1

Back in the 1700s, ships used clocks for navigation. They could chart the time of actual sunset and compare it to the time of sunset back in London or wherever, and that would tell them their longitude.

The problem was setting these clocks. They had to be as accurate as possible. So in harbors they had a ball on a flagpole, and it would fall down the pole at exactly a certain time, like 7:00 PM. And all the ships would set their own clocks.

Since then, balls sliding down flagpoles have been symbolic to mark momentous occasions, like the new year.

Answer 2

It started in 1907, read lots about the ball here
http://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye_ball.html