On the picturesque grounds of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association sits the new Billy Graham Library.
The library was built to look like a barn, similar to the dairy farm in Charlotte where Rev. Billy Graham grew up.
A 40 foot glass cross is at the front of the building and at the bottom are two double glass doors.
A woman greets us and holds the door open. We’re part the media in the Carolinas who were invited to tour the new library in preparation for the upcoming dedication May 31. Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter will all be there along with Rev. Billy Graham. His son, Franklin Graham, said Ruth Graham will not make it to the dedication.
When I walk through the doors the beautiful park like setting disappears and I feel like I’m in Disney World as I’m greeted by a talking cow. I’m surrounded by bales of hay, metal milk cans and the original 1936 Chevy truck from the Graham farm. Every so often I hear a duck quack.
The 40,000 square foot library is supported by large wooden trusses with scripture verses written on them.
Rev. Franklin Graham walks out the cross doors and greets the media outside the home where his father grew up.
"My father grew up on a farm. He's not embarrassed or ashamed by the fact that he grew up poor. They were farmers, a dairy farm, that was their business," Franklin Graham said.
Franklin explains his father didn’t want a monument as the library and Graham name is noticeably absent from the building. There is just a large glass cross, which symbolizes “the only way to heaven.”
Thirteen video journalists and about 40 reporters follow Franklin into the library where he explains the meaning behind the talking cow.
“My father began milking cows at 4:30 in the morning,” he said.
Graham explains that the cow is focused on the children as a Graham Library employees hands out “Bessie’s Brainteasers” aimed to keep children interested during the tour.
The tour then moves to a video monitor where a testimony of those changed by the gospel plays.
At the end of the video the doors automatically open (just like in Disney), a sign that it’s time to move into the first room.
Disney was consulted in the design of the library, which may be why there are many similarities between the library tour and Disney attractions.
We watch a seven minute film that pays tribute to the famous evangelist.
Then we move to another room for a second film on Graham getting started in preaching. The room is an exact replica of the Canvas Crusade in LA where Graham preached. The detail is so exact that even a misspelling on a sign outside the tent remains.
The sign reads, “Greater Los Angeles Revival – Billy Graham – 6000 free seats – dynamic preaching – glorius music”. (Notice the ‘o’ is missing in glorious)
Franklin says the next room is his father’s favorite in the library, because it’s all about Ruth Graham.
In all the library consists of six exhibits, four galleries and two theaters. They are not on time sequences and visitors can take their time roaming through rooms dedicated to Billy Graham and the media, picture galleries, Graham preaching through the troubled times our country was going through and more.
The tour ends with a final video and the door automatically opens to a lighted 3-D cross.
A sign reads, “The cross is the symbol of Christianity. Why? Jesus Christ died upon the cross for our sins.” – Billy Graham.
Walk through the lighted cross and you end in Ruth’s Attic, a souvenir store complete with books, t-shirts and key chains.
The library opens to the public June 5th and admission is free.
I am a retired Department of the Army Civilian living in Conover, NC. In 1955 I was an Army Brat living in France when Billy Graham had his Armed Forces West Germany Crusade. In 1973 I was working along the DMZ of South Korea as the Freedom Service Club Program Director at Camp Greaves. I was assigned as the tour guide for a bus load of soldiers to attend the Seoul Crusade. One of the memories I have is of the Koreans using their rubber shoes for their children to "pee" into and then pass the shoe to the end of row and dump it. I also recall the Korean translator imitating every gesture that Billy Graham made.
Our family was impressed by all the work that went into developing the library. We did not feel that it was Disneyesque -- our kids got a kick out of the talking cow and had fun answering all of the questions.
BGEA did a very good job telling about the life of a wonderful evangelist while maintaining a gospel witness.
On July 24,2007, I had 3hrs between meetings in Charlotte and found myself on the Billy Graham Parkway near the new Billy Graham Library. The next two and one half hours spent touring the library was the most inspiring two and one half hours since I heard him preach in the early fifties in charlotte. In my view, this humble farm boy that answered God's call to preach His word and did so, so faithfully, now stands head and shoulders above all the presidents and heads of state he counciled. A remarkable man.