History Lesson: The Origin of Roller Skates

Roller skating is so common in our culture it’s easy to take it for granted sometimes. But have you ever stopped and wondered what sparked the idea for roller skates? It started back in the 1700s, when a Dutchman decided he wanted to go ice skating in the summer time. Nicknamed “skeelers,” the first skates were simply wooden spools nailed to a board and attached to shoes. Roller skates made another appearance in 1760, when a musician wanted to make a big entrance at a party and rolled in on his boots with metal wheels while playing the violin, then promptly crashed into an expensively mirrored wall. Roller skating became more graceful in 1818 when a German ballet introduced them onstage, and by 1819 they were patented. To learn more about the history of roller skating, click here.

 

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