Skateboarding history

The birth of the skateboard

Skateboarding, popularly known as skating, was developed in the USA in the 1950s by surfers who wanted to extend their maritime pursuits onto terra firma. Roller-skate wheels were attached to planks of wood and the style of skating imitated surfing with long meandering curves, carved out during lengthy downhill descents.

At this point skateboarding was known as sidewalk surfing. The sport gradually caught on and by around 1950s the fist commercially made skateboard was on sale - the Roller Derby Skateboard. In relation to today's modern skateboards it was extremely simple, consisting basically of a plank of wood with roller skate wheels attached to it. Its trucks were modified to allow turning and the wheels themselves were made of clay.