Billy and Ruth Graham were married in Montreat in 1943 and returned there a short time later to set up their own household. Mr. Graham was traveling frequently, preaching the Gospel at home and abroad.
“Mrs. Graham said, ‘If we’re going to have a family, I want them to have the influence of their grandparents.’” Bruce explained. “Montreat becomes the base of their operations and their home.”
Their first house in the mountains was right on the main road—and right across the street from Mrs. Graham’s parents. The Grahams loved their home, but it proved to be too accessible to the public.
Tour buses would come through regularly, and curious tourists would sometimes walk right up to the house, peering in the windows and taking photos while the family was inside.
“The Grahams’ notoriety was matched with a spiritual depth,” Bruce said. “Because of that, people thought they knew them. You feel like you’ve grown up with him or you know him from television. It was a swarm. They couldn’t have an appropriate life with being so wide open to the public.”
For that reason, the Grahams decided to move up the mountain. In the mid-1950s, they built a log cabin frame house where they would spend the rest of their lives.
A small office was set up across from their first home on the main road. It became a hub for Mr. Graham’s writing and personal ministry, and it served him all the way up to his death.
A Unique Office for an Exceptional Man
At its height, the Montreat office had 20-25 employees handling everything from Billy Graham’s editorial work to his personal correspondence. Long before email was invented, he was keeping in touch with Christian leaders, U.S. presidents and dignitaries around the world. He also wrote more than 30 books.
Then there was the task of researching and preparing thousands of messages for his Crusades and other speaking engagements. Add to that the jobs of historical recordkeeping, maintaining his demanding schedule and arranging his complex travel itinerary.
“Back before technology helped us, we had people on the switchboard 24 hours a day,” Bruce said. “You can imagine what a tour de force that one man was.”
“Mrs. Graham said, ‘If we’re going to have a family, I want them to have the influence of their grandparents.’” Bruce explained. “Montreat becomes the base of their operations and their home.”
Their first house in the mountains was right on the main road—and right across the street from Mrs. Graham’s parents. The Grahams loved their home, but it proved to be too accessible to the public.
Tour buses would come through regularly, and curious tourists would sometimes walk right up to the house, peering in the windows and taking photos while the family was inside.
“The Grahams’ notoriety was matched with a spiritual depth,” Bruce said. “Because of that, people thought they knew them. You feel like you’ve grown up with him or you know him from television. It was a swarm. They couldn’t have an appropriate life with being so wide open to the public.”
For that reason, the Grahams decided to move up the mountain. In the mid-1950s, they built a log cabin frame house where they would spend the rest of their lives.
A small office was set up across from their first home on the main road. It became a hub for Mr. Graham’s writing and personal ministry, and it served him all the way up to his death.
A Unique Office for an Exceptional Man
At its height, the Montreat office had 20-25 employees handling everything from Billy Graham’s editorial work to his personal correspondence. Long before email was invented, he was keeping in touch with Christian leaders, U.S. presidents and dignitaries around the world. He also wrote more than 30 books.
Then there was the task of researching and preparing thousands of messages for his Crusades and other speaking engagements. Add to that the jobs of historical recordkeeping, maintaining his demanding schedule and arranging his complex travel itinerary.
“Back before technology helped us, we had people on the switchboard 24 hours a day,” Bruce said. “You can imagine what a tour de force that one man was.”