Skateboard History – 1964/1965

August 20, 2021July 5, 2023 Jeff Greenwood 569 Views Jan and Dean, Patti McGee, Sidewalk Surfin, Skateboard History, Surf City

1964 was a lot of skateboard going out to the masses and quickly the joy everyone was having turned to fear thanks to the media… I’m taking a deeper dive into the 60’s biggest trend and flop, skateboarding.

The first skateboard magazine, The Quarterly Skateboarder (you can view them here), was printed in 1964 by John Severson & the publishers of Surfer Magazine. It survived one year and 4 issues and wasn’t seen again until 10 years later in 1975.

The Good Side: Jan and Dean ‘Sidewalk Surfin’ video on American Band Stand 1964

1965 was the first Skateboarding Championships in Anaheim California. Check out the broadcast on ABC Wide World of Sports…

The same year, 1965, the worlds first skatepark opened up in Albany Oregon on July 1st, 1965:

Albany Skatepark Grand Opening in 1965, the worlds first Skatepark! This article was shared to a 60’s Skateboard Collectors Facebook Group by Darren Haugen

Albany Skatepark Grand Opening in 1965, the worlds first Skatepark! — Albany Democrat-Herald June 27, 1965

Tucson Arizona is thought by most to be the first skatepark, but it seems to be the 2nd. It was called Surf City and opened for business at 5140 E. Speedway in Tucson, Arizona on September 3, 1965.

Surf City grand opening flyer from Tucson AZ. 1965 Article from the newspaper

Surf City Tucson 1965 Article from the newspaper in 1965

***More information from the newspaper in 1965***

The next skatepark to open up was in Kelso Washington on a wooden skate track. This is all anyone can find about it so far from the April 1966 issue of Popular Science.

**1965 emporia Gazette Article about Skateboarding**

The Bad Side: newspapers reporting how bad Skateboarding is…

St. Louis MO newspaper article about skateboarding and how bad it is.

I have found countless articles like the one above about the dangerous sport of skateboarding and how it will hurt your child. Skateboarding soon died off….