Skateboarding culture in California in the 1970s has left an indelible mark on the sport and on America’s cultural identity, and photographer Hugh Holland perfectly captured the spirit of this golden age in his beautiful street photography album – Locals Only: California Skateboarding 1975-1978.

Curiously enough, the drought that hit California in the 1970s played a huge part in skateboarding history. Swimming pools and drainage ditches lay empty and dry, allowing kids to carve them up with their skateboards, some of which were simply coarse wooden boards with wheels – a far cry from today’s laminated creations.

“During the mid-1970s, Southern California was experiencing a serious drought,” writes Hugh Holland

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The drought emptied drain ditches and swimming pools…

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…which are PERFECT spots for skateboarders!

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