Legend has it that former Fayetteville resident Ronnie Hawkins (Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks) along with friends Doug Douglas, Herman Tuck, and others used to conduct “diving exhibitions” at Wilson Park pool back in the early 50’s.
These exhibitions, according to local legend, would occur after the pool had closed, and sometimes a hundred or more people would turn out to sit on the hill above the pool to watch.
Biographer Bobby Winifred Law wrote about one such exhibition in his 1997 book Before The Hawk Flew: A Biography of Ronnie Hawkins.
Documentary filmmaker Larry Foley caught wind of these late-night pool parties, and is seeking pictures of the divers, the crowd, or the pool for his upcoming film documenting the history of Fayetteville, “Up Among The Hills.”
If these photos exist, they really should be shared with the world. Email questions(at)faylib(dot)org with any information.
