The History of the Roller Skate
The first recorded use of skates took place more than three centuries ago, in a 1743 theater production in which actors affixed wheels to their footwear to mimic ice skating on the stage.
Known for his
eccentric personality and flamboyant clothing inventor
John Joseph Merlin made a lasting
impression on the historical record by creating the first roller
skate.It was not until nearly sixty years later in 1819 when the first
patent for roller skates was recorded. These skates again were similar
to modern day inline skates, but were still quite basic. Simple
maneuverability was quite difficult. A large improvement was made in
control and maneuverability in skate design in 1863. A furniture store
owner named James Leonard Plimpton
designed quad skates with two pairs of wheels. This allowed skaters to
turn more easily and led to the first public skating rinks in the United
States in 1866. As skating design continued to change and safety
measures such as the toe stop, added in 1876, skating started to take
off. Roller skating was largely popular in the United States between
1935 and the early 1960s. Another spike in skating interest took place
in the 1970s with further wheel improvements and disco music.