Roller skating will probably never completely fall out of style, but skating rinks are becoming less and less common.
Not all roller skating required a rink however, here Gridley Grade School students are roller skating outside the church their classes had overflowed into during the "Baby Boom." We don't have the names of these children but perhaps someone will recognize their grandparents.
Sharon Flurer and Clarence Ropp are the skaters in this image:
Entertainers made a living from roller skating. Popp Carter billed himself as the world's oldest roller skater. He's in front of the Pantagraph Building, which can be recognized by its iconic grill work.
The roller skating team of Chambers and Blair performed on a tiny stage at the Leroy Fall Festival.
Even grownups would roller skate for fun. The State Farm employees enjoyed roller skating at the Circus Rink. Here George Flickinger helps Carvella Bowers up after a tumble. Note that only the professionals had boot skates, even the rinks rented out the clamp on shoes that needed a key. Cue up "I've Got a Brand New Pair of Roller Skates."
All images from the Pantagraph Negatives Collection, McLean County Museum of History. For more pictures of roller skaters search "roller skating" in any of the three collections!!