The Little Church of the West - Las Vegas, NV
N 36° 05.161 W 115° 10.347
11S E 664542 N 3995035
The Little Church of the West is a small wedding chapel open to all faiths located in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Waymark Code: WM3HXM
Location: Nevada, United States
Date Posted: 04/09/2008
Views: 100
The following history is posted on the chapel's website
(visit link):
One big day after another; that's how it has been since 1942, when the quaint Little Church of the West was the only chapel on that isolated stretch of highway that would one day become the Famous Las Vegas "Strip". Originally built as part of the Last Frontier Hotel, the Little Church has played a major role in the evolution of the city's star spangled image, and has been the scene of more celebrity marriages than any other chapel in the world. From Betty Grable & Harry James (the first celebrity wedding in 1943) to Zsa Zsa Gabor & George Sanders, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Dudley Moore...even Elvis Presley & Ann Margaret (well, sort of...they recited their vows in the movie "Viva Las Vegas", filmed at the Little Church of the West). More recently, Richard Gere & Cindy Crawford chose the intimate chapel for their secret ceremony. Through the years the stars have marched and marched and marched to the Little Church of the West.
Upholding the frontier heritage of Las Vegas, The Little Church of the West is a free standing minaturized replica of an old west mining town church. With an exterior of cedar and an interior of California redwood, the chapel looks much the same today as when it was first built. It speaks of the early days of Las Vegas when its business district consisted of only the first three blocks of Fremont Street. As the town grew with the population boom caused by the construction of the near by Boulder Dam (now called Hoover Dam), Fremont Street began to pulsate with wall to wall casinos. As first class resorts began to dot the desert skyline and big name entertainment lit up the beckoning marquis, the stage was set for the Little Church of the West to take its place in the annals of Las Vegas history.
Attesting to its historical significance, the Little Church is listed on the National Registry of Historical Places, published by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior; the only place on the "Strip" with such an honor. One of the requirements for inclusion is that the structure retains its original integrity. In 2002, the Little Church of the West celebrated its 60th anniversary and remains the oldest existing structure on the Las Vegas Strip.