The Little Church of the West
|
Little Church of the West | |
 | |
| Location |
4617 Las Vegas Blvd S. Las Vegas, Nevada, USA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°5′10″N 115°10′19″W / 36.08611°N 115.17194°WCoordinates: 36°5′10″N 115°10′19″W / 36.08611°N 115.17194°W |
| Built | 1942 |
| Architect | William J. Moore |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Governing body | Little Church of Las Vegas, Inc. |
| NRHP Reference # | 92001161 |
| Added to NRHP | September 14, 1992 |
The Little Church of the West is a wedding chapel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada that is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places. Built of California redwood, it was intended to be a replica of a typical pioneer town church. It is the oldest building on the Strip.[1]
History
The Little Church of the West opened its doors in 1942 on what would become The Strip. The chapel was originally built as part of the Hotel Last Frontier complex on the Las Vegas Strip. The chapel was moved from the north side of the hotel to the south side in 1954. In 1979, to make way for the Fashion Show Mall, the chapel was moved onto the grounds of the Hacienda. In 1996, when the Hacienda was closed and demolished, the chapel moved again to its current location on the east side of the strip south of the Mandalay Bay.
The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 1992.
In 2012, the Little Church of the West celebrated its 70th anniversary and remains the oldest chapel on the Las Vegas Strip.[1]
Film history
Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret recited their vows in the movie Viva Las Vegas, filmed at the Little Church of the West.
Notable weddings
- Betty Grable and Harry James (July 5, 1943)[2]
- Andy Russell and Della Norell (October 23, 1945)[3][4]
- Deanna Durbin and Felix Jackson (1945)[2]
- Zsa Zsa Gabor and George Sanders (April 2, 1949)[2]
- Dinah Washington and Dick Lane (July 2, 1963)[5]
- Judy Garland and Mark Herron (November 14, 1965)
- David Cassidy and Kay Lenz (April 3, 1977)[2]
- Bob Geldof and Paula Yates (1986)[2]
- Dudley Moore and Brogan Lane (1988)[2]
- Redd Foxx and Ka Ha Cho (July 1991)[2]
- Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford (December 12, 1991)[6]
- Noel Gallagher and Meg Matthews (June 1997)[6]
- Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie (May 5, 2000) [2]
- Billie Piper and Chris Evans (2001)[2]
- Jodie Sweetin and Cody Herpin (July 14, 2007)
- Mickey Rooney
- Robert Goulet
- Buck Owens
- David Sanborn
- Telly Savalas
- Heather Thomas
- Mel Tormé
- Margaret Whiting
- Lars Ulrich
- Ian Astbury
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.littlechurchlv.com/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 "Celebrity Weddings in Las Vegas:". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
- ↑ "1945 Press Photo Andy Russell Screen Radio Crooner Bride Della Norell Singer". ebay. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ↑ "Andy Russell Weds Entertainer". New York Times. New York Times. October 24, 1945. p. 27. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
- ↑ Cohodas, Nadine (August 24, 2004). Queen: The Life and Music of Dinah Washington. Random House. p. 426. ISBN 0375421483.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "You are invited to our Vegas wedding...". The Independent. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
External links
- Little Church of the West website
- Satellite view of the grounds
- UNLV Architecture Studies Library Tour (South Las Vegas)