Recreational activity. Though invented some two hundred years before, roller skates did not enjoy their heyday in the United States until the 1970s. Until then, they were plagued with a variety of problems, ranging from the absence of toe stops (not present until the 1940s) and the use of metal wheels, which would rust easily and inhibit functionality. In the early twentieth century, many roller skates were designed to fit over shoes, with skate keys used to adjust the size.

Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2022. 1p.