Roller blades, roller skates or inline skates all refer to a skate. History of roller blade is somewhat long and winding. While people often use the term roller blade for the boot with wheels underneath, it may help to know that roller blade is actually a trade name and not the boot with wheel that you usually enjoy. Rollerblade, Inc. is the manufacturer of many modern roller skates.

Historical timelines of roller blades

1700s

The history of roller blades or roller skates, started in the early 1700s when a London stage performer used roller skates in a performance. This is the first sighting of a roller blade. The concept came from Holland where Dutchmen would nail wooden spools to strips of wood and attaching them to their shoes. They will use their skeelers to slide through frozen canals.

1760

Joseph Merlin, a London instrument maker and inventor wants to impress some people to promote his museum. He attended a masquerade party using metal-wheeled boots. However, to make his entrance engaging, he played his violin as he rolls his skates. Unfortunately, he crashed into a solid mirror wall.

1818

In this year, the premier German Ballet group known as Der maler oder dei Wintervergn or The Artist or Winter Pleasures used roller skates in one of their production numbers. The intention was actually to perform ice skating, however since during this time it is yet impossible to produce ice on a stage, rollers skates are a better alternative.

1819

Monsieur Petibledin received the first patent for a roller skate in France. His roller skates are made of wood sole that is attached at the bottom of a boot. There are two to four rollers made of either copper, wood or ivory forming a straight line under the wood sole.

1823

Another patent was issued for Rolito. Rolito is a shoe or boot with five lined wheels at the bottom. This is the first design that resembles our roller skates of today, however, Rolito cannot follow curved path as the skates of today can.

1863

The birth of quad skates entered the history of roller blades or roller skates. An American inventory names James Plimpton designed a usable pair of skates. His skates had two parallel sets of wheels: one pair under the heel and the other pair under the toes. Plimptons design was the first useable pair of skates; it is able to navigate curves unlike earlier models.

1902

Seven thousand people attended the opening of a skating rink in a Chicago Coliseum. This started series of skating rinks opening in the United States.

1970s-1980s

The disco era gave skating another boost in popularity where many Hollywood movies included roller skating in their theme. Over 4,000 roller discos are also seen operating in and around the United States.

1979

This marks the birth of the name roller blades. Hockey players and brothers Scott and Brennan Olson redesigned an old skates as a tool to practice hockey. They used modern materials in improving the design. They also establish Rollerblade, Inc.. The modern design of roller skates made the most useful and modern design possible for this sliding tool. Since, then roller skates are already known to people as roller blades.

Other improvements and variations are developed to roller blades but the history started with the establishment of Rollerblade, Inc.