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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFiQakfFpLA]
Back the first half of the 20th Century, maybe through the early 70's, Roller Skating was one of the most popular sports and recreational activities in the USA. Considered "all American" like baseball and apple pie. And it included dance and other things admittedly taken from ice skating (copy and paste, the very same things). At one time, there was at least one roller skating rink in every town, large or small. In the 1950's, it was seriously being considered as an Olympic sport but never quite made it.
My paternal grandparents owned such a rink and my father practically grew up there. My Grandfather bought the property from a farmer and by mostly by himself, built the building (I think this right after WW 2). Grandpa is with the Lord now, but Dad still speaks of those days... When I was a boy, we drove many miles to get to the closest rink, and Dad could show me his stuff, why he earned those 30 or so trophies he showed me. And I could have a try. But it was only that once; no rink anywhere near us anymore (although out town once had TWO).
For reasons no one seems to know, all this very suddenly ended. There was a short revival with "Disco" but that only postponed things. My Grandparents rink went from "General Sessions" 5-6 times a week with 100 involved in each to sessions where not one person showed up - all in a decade. It went from dozens of dance skaters winning awards all over the state and several coaches to none (all this known as "artistic skating"). They finally sold the property in the late 60's I think, and a medical office complex now stands there. In all of Southern California, with some 20 million, there are less than 10 rinks still operating. No one knows why.... it just all ended.
BTW, from the day the rink opened, there was no segregation of any kind. Grandpa said that wasn't in the spirit of roller skating.
A mostly forgotten bit of Americana, now gone.
.
Back the first half of the 20th Century, maybe through the early 70's, Roller Skating was one of the most popular sports and recreational activities in the USA. Considered "all American" like baseball and apple pie. And it included dance and other things admittedly taken from ice skating (copy and paste, the very same things). At one time, there was at least one roller skating rink in every town, large or small. In the 1950's, it was seriously being considered as an Olympic sport but never quite made it.
My paternal grandparents owned such a rink and my father practically grew up there. My Grandfather bought the property from a farmer and by mostly by himself, built the building (I think this right after WW 2). Grandpa is with the Lord now, but Dad still speaks of those days... When I was a boy, we drove many miles to get to the closest rink, and Dad could show me his stuff, why he earned those 30 or so trophies he showed me. And I could have a try. But it was only that once; no rink anywhere near us anymore (although out town once had TWO).
For reasons no one seems to know, all this very suddenly ended. There was a short revival with "Disco" but that only postponed things. My Grandparents rink went from "General Sessions" 5-6 times a week with 100 involved in each to sessions where not one person showed up - all in a decade. It went from dozens of dance skaters winning awards all over the state and several coaches to none (all this known as "artistic skating"). They finally sold the property in the late 60's I think, and a medical office complex now stands there. In all of Southern California, with some 20 million, there are less than 10 rinks still operating. No one knows why.... it just all ended.
BTW, from the day the rink opened, there was no segregation of any kind. Grandpa said that wasn't in the spirit of roller skating.
A mostly forgotten bit of Americana, now gone.
.
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Roller blades were easier to use and were fun to get around on the trails my town had. Roller Blade was also the name of one brand of skate...the original name. I just recently through out my blades because they had gotten cracked being made of mostly hard plastic.