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Skateboarding is Born
At some point in the 1950's, skateboarding is born in California. No one knows the exact year, or who was the first to do it, though many claim credit. All we know for sure is that skateboarding has its roots in the culture of surfing. -
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The Age of Tin
For the first 20 years, skateboards used tin rollerblade wheels on their boards which was always a bumpy and dangerous ride. It wasnt until the 1970's that polyurithane wheels revolutionized the hobby with much safer, smoother rubber wheels. -
Early stages
The popularity of skateboarding grows rapidly as many non-surfers begin to skate. Skateboarding grows from street and pool riding to downhill slalom and freestyle (choreographed skateboarding to music). -
Peaking popularity
Skateboarding reaches a peak in popularity. Skateboard brands have grown up, and start holding skateboarding competitions. -
Droppin'
Skateboarding takes a sudden dive in popularity. Many people assume that skateboarding was just a fad. -
Middle Ages
Skateboarding continues, but with a lot fewer people skating. Skateboard companies die out one at a time, and skaters are forced to create much of their own equipment. -
Revolution
Frank Nasworthy invents urethane skateboard wheels. Until this point, skaters used clay, or even metal wheels. These wheels spark new interest in skateboarding. -
Who Let the Dogs out?
Pool Skating The Ocean Festival is held in Del Mar, California. It's a traditional freestyle and slalom contest, but the Zephyr team arrived and blew the contest away with a new agressive, innovative style of skateboarding. This event catapults skateboarding into the public eye. The most famous of these Zephyr team riders were Tony Alva, Jay Adams and Stacy Peralta -
The Ollie
Alan Gelfand invents the Ollie -
Second Dive
Skateboarding takes a second dive in popularity. Insurance rates for skate parks rise dramatically, and many skate parks have to close. -
80's underground
The First Pros Skaters continue to skate, but in a more underground way. Small privately owned skateboard companies pop up, owned by skaters. These small companies encourage creativity in designs. Skateboarding evolves into an even more personal style of expression. -
The Bones Brigade
Stacey Peralta teams up with George Powell to create the first skateboarding video - the Bones Brigade Video Show. Skateboard videos become a new way for skaters to feel like they are part of something larger, and shows newer skaters what's possible. Skateboarding begins to form a more unified skateboarding culture. -
So Many Dips
Skateboarding begins another dive in popularity. It's not as bad as the previous ones, but it hits vert skateboarding the hardest. Most skaters only skate street. Pro vert skaters fall on hard times -
Movie Magic
The movie Gleaming the Cube comes out, starring Christian Slater as a skateboarding teenager. The movie has cameos from famous skaters like Tony Hawk, and makes a strong impact on people's view of skateboarders -
The 1990's
Street skateboarding grows in popularity, but with a new edge. Skateboarding grows along with punk culture, and skateboarding gains a strong angry image. -
X Games
The first X Games are held, giving a lot of attention to skateboarding. The X Games bring in new money and interest, helping to propel skateboarding in popularity, and pushing skaters to new levels of invention (read more about the History of the X Games. -
2000's
Throughout the 2000s, skateboarding contests and competitions grow in popularity. The Dew Tour begins in 2005 and quickly grows to rival the X Games. Small local contests and international skateboard contests pop up all over the world. Skateboarding becomes mostly mainstream, but retains a strong dose of the punk, anti-establishment, individualistic attitude. -
Skateboarding in videogames
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 comes out for Nintendo 64, and is a major hit. This generates even more attention for skateboarding. The game has been followed by many Tony Hawk video games, each one a hit. -
Finally made it
Choose your weapon The International Skateboarding Federation is founded, and takes the lead in talking to the International Olympic Committee about adding skateboarding to the Olympics . The reaction in the skateboarding community ranges from excitement to outrage.
