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The Little Church of the West, Las Vegas Wedding Chapel was conceived by William J. Moore Jr. in 1941 as part of his plans for a resort hotel, a relatively new venture in Las Vegas.  Mr Moore was an architect and builder for his uncle R.E Griffith of California.  Moore described his reason for inclusion of a wedding chapel as an attempt to garner a share of the lucrative and expanding wedding chapel market in the area.

The original freestanding wedding chapel in Las Vegas

While the Little Church of the West was built to attract business to the Last Frontier, it was also the first such facility designed specifically as a wedding chapel.  Others already in operation were converted from buildings which had a prior use.

Old Vegas Charm for the modern wedding couple

Originally built as part of the Last Frontier Hotel located on an isolated stretch of highway that would one day become the famous Las Vegas”Strip”, the Little Church of the West upholds the heritage of Las Vegas with its unique architecture. It’s a freestanding 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.

Little Church of the West

As the town grew with the population boom caused by the construction of near by 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. 

Part of Las Vegas History

Attesting to its historical significance, the Little Church is listed on the National Registry of Historical Places, the only such place on the “Strip” with this honor.  One of the requirements for inclusion is that the structure retains its original integrity. “It hasn’t changed,” says current owner. “I mean, there’s been some painting and re-carpeting but the pews in there are believed to be the ones built with the chapel in 1942.” The four Victorian lamps that light the chapel are believed to be from 19th-century railroad cars but have since been converted from gas to electric. In 2017, the Little Church of the West will be celebrating its 75th anniversary and remains the oldest existing structure on the Las Vegas “Strip”.

Historic Chapel

How did this quaint little wedding chapel stand the test of time and all the facelifts of the Las Vegas Strip? Simply put, it moved — 3 times to be exact. The chapel first moved from its original location on the north side of the Last Frontier Hotel to the south side in 1954. In 1978, it was moved onto the grounds of the Hacienda Hotel to accommodate the building of the Fashion Show Mall and in 1996, the chapel was moved to its current location on the corner of Russell Road and Las Vegas Blvd to accommodate the building of the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino. Smith says the chapel has been popular because of its historical significance and its unique appearance. “There’s a lot of mystique about the chapel”.

The marriage capital of the world

The wedding venue business flourished because of easy marriage laws. Unlike other places, Nevada did not require a waiting period and there were no requirements for blood tests. Today, those particular reasons for traveling to Nevada to get married have become less significant as laws in other states have changed, but these reasons remain significant for people from such countries as Germany which has strict laws governing marriage, adding that last year people from 22 countries were married here. For Americans, however, getting married in Las Vegas remains hassle-free, inexpensive, and something to remember. Visitors can visit the Little Church of the West for a self guided Chapel Tour.  Visitor may need to wait for a wedding ceremony to finish.  Please visit the chapel office before entering the chapel area.  Visit the Little Church of the West blog

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