Buzz
Summer has arrived, and for centuries, this season has been the perfect excuse to strap on a pair of roller skates. While roller skating has been overshadowed by other activities in recent years, it has still carved out memorable moments throughout history.
1. IT STARTED WITH A SPECTACULAR FAILURE
John Joseph Merlin, a Belgian inventor credited with creating the first roller skates, introduced his metal-wheeled design at a lavish masquerade party in London in 1760. His grand plan was to glide into the room while playing the violin. However, Merlin had little practice with his invention, and his skates lacked the ability to turn. The result? He crashed into a mirror, sustaining significant injuries, with his ego likely taking the hardest hit.
2. “TRUCKS” REVOLUTIONIZED ROLLER SKATING
While numerous inventors developed their own versions of roller skates over the next century, it was James Plimpton’s 1863 design that truly transformed the game. Plimpton introduced a four-wheeled skate equipped with spring-loaded carriages, known as trucks, enabling skaters to turn by simply leaning in their desired direction. He even opened a roller rink in his New York furniture business and founded the New York Roller Skating Association to popularize the activity.
3. ROLLER SKATING’S POPULARITY HAS HAD ITS UPS AND DOWNS
Roller skating has experienced waves of popularity throughout history. While the 1970s are often remembered as its golden era, the early 1900s also saw a massive skating craze. By 1905, roller rinks were popping up on the East Coast, often preferred over dancing and other forms of entertainment. The trend spread across the Midwest and reached the West Coast, with newspapers even covering roller skating fashion by 1906. The 1916 Charlie Chaplin film The Rink marked the first major movie centered around roller skating.
4. SOME COUPLES TIED THE KNOT ON ROLLER SKATES
The first documented roller skate wedding occurred in 1912 in Milwaukee, uniting Miss Hattie Baldwin and Mr. W. McGrath, as noted by the National Museum of Roller Skating. Yes, such a museum exists, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, which recently marked its 30th anniversary.
5. ROLLER SKATES MADE FOOD SERVICE MORE EFFICIENT—AND ENTERTAINING
During the 1950s and early 1960s, roller-skating carhops became a common sight at drive-in restaurants. Their popularity was further cemented in American culture through films like American Graffiti and TV series like Happy Days. Even today, roller-skating carhops remain a tradition, with Sonic hosting its annual Sonic Skate-Off, a competition to crown the most skilled carhop across its 3,500 locations.
6. STYLE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE
During the peak of the 1970s roller skating boom, cities across the U.S. developed unique skating styles. Chicago, in particular, became renowned for JB skating, inspired by James Brown’s iconic moves (the “JB” stands for James Brown). This style is characterized by elaborate footwork and standing dance routines, with signature moves like the “Crazy Leg.” JB skating remains a vibrant part of Chicago’s roller rink culture today.
7. CHER EMBRACED THE ROLLER SKATING TREND
In 1979, Cher dropped the track “Hell on Wheels,” accompanied by one of the earliest modern music videos in the MTV style. The video showcased a unique blend of truckers, bikers, and Cher herself gliding on roller skates in a striking zebra-print jumpsuit.
8. PATRICK SWAYZE WAS ALSO A FAN
Before becoming iconic as Johnny in Dirty Dancing, Patrick Swayze debuted on the big screen as Ace in the 1979 film Skatetown USA. Marketed as “The Rock and Roller Disco Movie of the Year,” the film featured Scott Baio and Maureen McCormick from The Brady Bunch. In one memorable scene, Swayze’s character uses his belt as a creative prop during a roller disco competition.
9. ROLLER SKATING EVEN REACHED THE AMISH COMMUNITY
The Amish, known for their simple lifestyle, avoid modern technology and machinery. While cars, motorcycles, and bicycles are off-limits, roller skates have been a long-standing mode of transport in their communities. However, during the 1990s Rollerblade trend, the New York Times reported that only a third of Amish congregations approved inline skates, with elders fearing their higher speeds might undermine their traditional way of life.
10. ROLLER SKATES CONTINUE TO INSPIRE PARADES
On June 15, 2008, Paris hosted the largest roller skating parade ever recorded, as confirmed by Guinness World Records. The event featured 1,188 participants skating a distance of 12.68 miles.
11. ROLLER SKATING ENDURES THROUGH NATURAL DISASTERS
Once a hub for roller skating, New York City now has just one indoor rink, RollerJam USA, located on Staten Island (with another temporary rink in Brooklyn). RollerJam USA suffered significant damage during Hurricane Sandy, nearly reducing the city’s rink count to zero.
After $750,000 and six months of intensive restoration, RollerJam USA reopened this past spring, as confirmed by owner Joe Costa. “It was worth every penny,” Costa remarked. “There’s a vibrant, hidden skating community—people from the ‘70s still rolling strong, alongside a new generation discovering the thrill. Skating to the rhythm of music—it’s an unmatched experience.”
