WASHINGTON — It's 2019. You probably check the time on your smartphone or smartwatch.
But before all of today’s advanced technology, people relied on ball drops -- just like the one on New Year’s eve -- to set the time.
It all started in Britain in the 1800s. Ship captains relied on this system to help them keep time. The balls were lifted high enough to view from sea.
Then, like clockwork, they’d drop and the ships would synchronize their time. The time balls were so popular that they became an attraction.
Just a few years later, the first American time ball was built -- right here in D.C. It went into service in 1845 at the Naval Observatory.
As time passed, the ball system became outdated. Eventually radio signals replaced visual cues at the turn of the century.
But the tradition as we know it, was just getting started.
In 1907, a 700-pound ball descended from a flagpole above Times Square to "ring in" the new year. This year, the ball weighs nearly 12,000 pounds.
And while we may not use it to set our clocks, millions around the country will still watch live and use it to count down to 2020.
Three... two... one!
