The timeline · 7 periods
- 1907
George Freeth in California
First documented surfing demonstrations on the U.S. mainland, organized by Henry E. Huntington.
- 1907 – 1939
The Lifesavers
Surfers spearhead the ocean rescue movement, paving the way for beach culture to thrive
- 1912 – 1924
Surfing's Original Olympians
The swim stars who took surfing around the world
- 1920 – 1937
The Garage Age
Surfing meets Southern California, and the fast-growing frontier of speed, spectacle, and engineering
- 1926
Tom Blake's hollow board
The first major design departure from solid plank construction — and the first patented surfboard.
- 1930 – 1941
The Rise of Surf Clubs and Coastal Identities
As surfboards saturate coastlines around the world, tribes emerge
- 1932 – 1941
The Endurance Era
Riding Out the Great Depression
