▁of ▁paper , ▁based ▁on ▁estimates ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Department ▁of ▁San itation . ▁ ▁More ▁than ▁ 2 0 0 ▁black ▁gran ite ▁stri ps ▁embedded ▁in ▁the ▁side wal ks ▁along ▁the ▁C any on ▁of ▁Hero es ▁list ▁hon ore es ▁of ▁past ▁t icker - ta pe ▁par ades . ▁ ▁Great ▁White ▁Way ▁ ▁" The ▁Great ▁White ▁Way " ▁is ▁a ▁nick name ▁for ▁a ▁section ▁of ▁Broadway ▁in ▁Mid town ▁Manh attan , ▁specifically ▁the ▁portion ▁that ▁en comp ass es ▁the ▁Theater ▁District , ▁between ▁ 4 2 nd ▁and ▁ 5 3 rd ▁Stre ets , ▁and ▁en comp ass ing ▁Times ▁Square . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 0 , ▁a ▁stretch ▁of ▁Broadway ▁between ▁Union ▁Square ▁and ▁Mad ison ▁Square ▁was ▁ill umin ated ▁by ▁Br ush ▁arc ▁l amps , ▁making ▁it ▁among ▁the ▁first ▁elect r ically ▁light ed ▁streets ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s , ▁the ▁portion ▁from ▁ 2 3 rd ▁Street ▁to ▁ 3 4 th ▁Street ▁was ▁so ▁bright ly ▁ill umin ated ▁by ▁elect rical ▁advert ising ▁signs , ▁that ▁people ▁began ▁calling ▁it ▁" The ▁Great ▁White ▁Way ". ▁When ▁the ▁the ater ▁district ▁moved ▁u pt own , ▁the ▁name ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Times ▁Square ▁area . ▁ ▁The ▁phrase ▁" Gre at ▁White ▁Way " ▁has ▁been ▁attributed ▁to ▁She p ▁Fried man , ▁column ist ▁for ▁the ▁New