Billy Graham Plaque Dedication

A crowd gathered in the tranquil Billy Graham Memorial Park Friday to dedicate a new plaque and honor the influential religious leader.

Graham attended the Florida Bible Institute, which is now Trinity College of Florida, located in Pasco County. The college’s property was located on the campus of what is now . The park, located near Florida College’s Sutton Hall, was a place where Graham would practice his sermons on the alligators and birds that lived along the Hillsborough River.

“It happened here,” said Mark O’Farrell, president of Trinity College, during the dedication. “This ground is very, very special.”

The park was dedicated in June 2000, but the plaque that stood in the park displayed inaccurate information. The new revised plaque is double-sided and has been placed in a slightly different spot in the park.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Mayor Joe Affronti. “It’s visible from the river now, and it’s just a great dedication to Billy Graham.”