John, Donald, and Aaron are pictured above at RFD Station Five. A local historian, Mike Legeros (who also publishes my favorite online Raleigh read – Hidden Raleigh) has the following information on RFD Station Five:

Fire Station 5 opened on November 18, 1926 at the corner of Oberlin Road and Park Drive. The two-story, single-bay station was addressed 1914 Park Drive. By the late 1950s and due to the need of an aerial ladder at the station, planning for a replacement facility was underway. On July 24, 1961, Engine 5 relocated to Station 6 as construction of a new Station 5 was nearly complete on the same lot. On September 26, 1961, Station 5 opened at 300 Oberlin Road. Demolition of the old station was performed by firefighters and the bricks were saved and later used to build a smokehouse next to the training tower.

Be sure to check out his site as it has many photos of Raleigh you won’t find anywhere else.

David McKnight has been playing beautiful music on Hillsborough Street for a long time. Many street performers are somewhat transient in nature with regard to where they play, but David isn’t. He is always near the stairs to Mitch’s Tavern.

Dana over at gogoraleigh suggested that the “no hands king” should get a statue dedicated to him, or at least agreed with the idea. While I don’t disagree with the awesomeness of the no hands king, I think that David is slightly more deserving of such an honor. He has exposed college students to music they probably wouldn’t hear otherwise. I’ve been wanting to get a photo of him for some time, but the spring semester Hillsborough Hike presented the first opportunity for me to do so. He’s almost out exlusively during the day.

This was David’s tenth Spring Hillsborough Hike performance. For the past 10 years he has graced passersby with his playing. He plays lunch sets at Global Village on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

This is Alvin. He’s married and runs a landscaping business. He moved here in 1985 to seek better opportunities than were available in the small town he departed from. I was stuck here on Wilmington Street while trying to stay dry during the downpour Friday before last. Alvin came by and introduced himself, especially after noticing I was holding a camera. He wanted me to share his secret to life with everyone I know:

In all things, every day–be happy, be joyous, and be free.

He was saying it while raising his hands in the last photo. I’m really glad I got to meet Alvin, as his optimism and happiness were quite contagious. It was most welcome while I was initially bored stuck under an awning.