“Uncle” Bud Yates, Local business owner of Pikes Peak Tattoo, Steel City Tattoo, and president of the National Tattoo Association, passed away August 14, 2006 after a tragic motorcycle accident in Roswell, New Mexico while doing what he loved, riding his motorcycle. He will be missed immensly.

For those wanting to honor Bud's Memory donations can be made to the “Uncle Bud Memorial Scholarship Fund” and sent to the National Tattoo Association, 485 Business Park Lane, Allentown, PA 18109 or online at nationaltattooassociation.com

For more information on the scholarship fund click here.

The word tattoo is said to have two major derivations- from the polynesian word ‘ta’ which means striking something and the tahitian word ‘tatau’ which means ‘to mark something’.

The history of tattoo began over 5000 years ago and is as diverse as the people who wear them.

Tattoos are created by inserting colored materials beneath the skins surface. the first tattoos probably were created by accident. someone had a small wound, and rubbed it with a hand that was dirty with soot and ashes from the fire. once the wound had healed, they saw that a mark stayed permanently.

click here for more tattoo history