CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 6, 2026 – Billy Graham, Charlotte-native and North Carolina’s Favorite Son, will be recognized with a historical marker in the city where he was born and raised. Located at Central Avenue and Pecan Avenue, the plaque will be dedicated in a private ceremony on Monday, April 20, at the Commonwealth mixed-use development in Plaza Midwood.
“Our vision for Commonwealth from the beginning has been to honor the past and look toward the future,” said Bobby Speir, senior vice president of mixed use investment for Crosland Southeast. “We can think of no better way to do this than to commemorate the location where Billy Graham came to faith and to celebrate the impact of his ministry both here in Charlotte and across the globe. Our hope is that Commonwealth will continue to bless the Charlotte community and beyond for generations to come.”
In 1934, traveling evangelist Mordecai Ham spent several weeks preaching at a tent revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. A temporary structure was built on the northeast side of the city to welcome residents as they came to hear the Gospel. One of the many young people to attend the church meetings was an unknown son of a dairy farmer.
Just shy of his 16th birthday, Billy Graham would hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and make a decision to follow Christ—leading him to later dedicate his life to sharing the same message of hope and God’s love. Graham would go on to become one of the most recognized evangelists in history, preaching to nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories through various meetings, and reaching hundreds of millions more through television, video, film, and webcasts.
“My grandfather was a deeply humble man. He didn’t like attention. I think he’d be excited about this marker, however,” said Will Graham, executive vice president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, grandson of Billy Graham and son of Franklin Graham. “The reason is because it points to the Savior, Jesus Christ. My grandfather’s decision to follow Christ all those years ago changed his life for eternity and impacted millions around the world—and it’s all because of Jesus.”
The historic marker was developed by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and includes a 15” x 30.5” bronze plaque on a stone base. The pedestal is engraved with Billy Graham’s most-preached verse, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Located in one of the fastest-growing areas of the city, the 12-acre Commonwealth plan blends restored historic architecture with new construction. The site of the marker is on a public greenspace, near the coming headquarters for Scout Motors, a brand revitalized from the legacy of International Harvester, a farm equipment manufacturer.
Though Graham passed away in 2018, his legacy continues on through the work of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) today. Led by his son Franklin Graham, the BGEA continues to proclaim the Gospel by every effective means available and equips the church and others to do the same through evangelistic outreaches, the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte—consistently rated the #1 attraction in Charlotte by TripAdvisor users, drawing visitors from all 50 states and multiple countries internationally each year—The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, and various other domestic and international efforts.
About The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Founded by Billy Graham in 1950, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association shares the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world. From its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association directs a wide range of domestic and international ministries, including: large-scale outreaches led by evangelists Franklin Graham and Will Graham; the Billy Graham Library; the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, located outside of Asheville, North Carolina; SearchforJesus.net, an internet evangelism project reaching thousands of people for Christ online; and many others through print, television, telephone, radio and the internet. For more information, please visit billygraham.org. Get news updates on X at x.com/BGEAnews.
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Media information:
Media are invited to cover the Billy Graham Historical Marker dedication on Monday, April 20.
The event will begin promptly at 10:30 a.m. and will include remarks from:
- Will Graham, grandson of Billy Graham and son of Franklin Graham, and executive vice president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
- Leighton Ford, former associate evangelist of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and brother-in-law of Billy Graham
- Bobby Speir, SVP of mixed use investment for Crosland Southeast
Location:
1711 Commonwealth Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205
Media RSVP to:
Lisa Moseley, lmoseley@bgea.org OR (704) 401-2116