Little Church of the West facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Little Church of the West
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The Little Church of the West (2007)
Location	4617 S Las Vegas Blvd. Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
Nearest city	Las Vegas
Built	1943
Architectural style	Late Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.	92001161
Added to NRHP	September 14, 1992

The Little Church of the West is a famous wedding chapel located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It's special because it's listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical building! Made from redwood wood, it was designed to look like a church from an old pioneer town. It holds a unique record: it's the oldest building still standing on the Las Vegas Strip.

A Historic Las Vegas Chapel

The church's sign in 2012

The Little Church of the West first opened its doors on May 22, 1943. It was built as part of the Hotel Last Frontier complex on the Las Vegas Strip. Over the years, the chapel has moved several times.

In 1954, it moved from the north side of the hotel to the south side. Later, in 1979, it moved again to make room for the Fashion Show Mall. This time, it went to the grounds of the Hacienda hotel-casino.

Its final move happened in December 1996. The Hacienda hotel was closing, so the chapel moved to its current spot. It is now on the east side of the Strip, south of the Mandalay Bay resort.

The church was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on September 14, 1992. It is the only building on the entire Las Vegas Strip to have this special historical listing.

In 2002, the church was very busy, performing about 6,000 weddings each year. More than 250,000 couples have gotten married there since it opened. In 2017, the Little Church of the West celebrated its 75th anniversary. It continues to be the oldest building on the Las Vegas Strip.

The Chapel in Movies and TV

The Little Church of the West has appeared in several movies and TV shows. In a 1959 episode of Perry Mason, the church's neon sign was shown.

It also appeared in the famous 1964 movie Viva Las Vegas. In this film, characters played by Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret say their wedding vows inside the church.

The chapel was also featured in the ABC TV series Vega$ (1978-1981). It appeared in episodes like "Serve, Volley, and Kill" (1978), "All Kinds of Love" (1980), and "Vendetta" (1980).

Famous Weddings at the Chapel

Many famous people have chosen to get married at the Little Church of the West. Here are some of them:

See also

• List of wedding chapels in Las Vegas