Post 1-History

          Once upon a time there was a world that didn't have skateboards, sad right. Between 1900-1940 people invented a skateboard/scooter. The first skateboards looked like little wooden scooters. They were only used by kids and were called toys. Once the handlebar was broken off, the rad, world changing skateboard was born.

          In the 1950's, some surfer dudes that were bored because there were no waves, discovered that skateboarding (Sidewalk surfing) gave the sensation of riding waves. Soon surfers all over the world were skateboarding. While all this was happening, companies made modifications to the trucks (the metal things that the wheels are on). The trucks could now be used to turn. When you want to turn left, you lean left and if you want to turn right, lean right. These new trucks were a big hit, they were really useful. Nowadays (in 2011) we still use these trucks. These new trucks gave a fun twist to skateboarding.
          In 1960 there was a mass production of skateboards. Over 50 million skateboards were sold between 1960-1963. In 1963 the greatest thing happened, the first ever skateboarding contest was held. It took place in Hermosa beach. Then in 1965 a group of so-called safety experts told the whole world that skateboarding was unsafe and that parents should not let their kids skateboard. After this, skateboarding went into its first slump.
          In the 1970's, Larry Stevenson invented the kicktail, which changed skateboarding a lot. The kicktail helped skateboarders come up with even cooler tricks and was used to pivot (turn quickly). In 1973 the urethane wheel was invented. Urethane wheels made skateboarding much more fun. Before the urethane wheels they had metal wheels that got dented and if you rolled over a rock you would go flying. Then they made clay wheels which cracked after a while and also if you hit rocks or cracks you would fall off. Urethane wheels take impact and don't break. After all these changes were made to the skateboard, skateboarding became popular again. Skateboarding became so popular that skate parks were invented. Skate parks are big areas with lots of obstacles to skateboard on.
          In the 1980's skate parks became less popular and people started making their own plywood ramps and skating in empty parking lots. Soon people invented there own street-skate parks, they used handrails as grinds and big pipes as verts (half pipes). In the end, skaters were all street skating. In 1987 skaters preferred to wear baggy clothes and retro tennis shoes (skateshoes).
          In 1997 skateboarding was included in the X games. From 1997-2000 skateboarding grew to be one of the most popular things on wheels. Verts and other unpopular things came back and were used along with street skating, but the main way of skateboarding was still street skating.
          Nowadays we have a wide range of skateboards and skateboarding style. Skateboarding for you could be going to skate parks and doing kickflips all day or it could be cruising on the streets. skating is fun and cool to watch.

  ~Seth