The Origins and History of

SKATEBOARDING

Skateboarding has a fascinating history that spans several decades, evolving from a pastime in California to a global sport and cultural phenomenon.

• 1940s-1950s
• 1958-1960s
• 1960s-1970s
• 1970s-1980s
• 1980s-1990s
• 1990s-2000s
• 2000s-Present

Origins (1940s-1950s)

The origins of skateboarding can be traced to California during the late 1940s and early 1950s, where surfers sought ways of "surfing" on land during days when the waves were flat. Using planks of wood and roller skate wheels, early forms of skateboards could be regarded as a sort of fusion of surfing with wheels taken from roller skates.

• 1940s: The first skateboards were quite rudimentary, made from wooden boxes, crates, or even planks. They were mostly homemade, and roller skate wheels were used as the wheels of the skateboard.
• 1950s: As the interest in surfing grew, so did the interest in “sidewalk surfing”. The first commercial skateboards (a wooden board with metal trucks) were made by Roller Derby (not the sport). The design was still in the experimental stage.