Moving history

Candlelight Wedding Chapel makes 5-hour trek to its new home

SHELLY DONAHUE/VIEW The Candlelight Wedding Chapel, which was located on the Strip for more than 40 years, was moved to the Clark County Heritage Museum, 1830 S. Boulder Highway, on March 1, during a five-hour journey down side streets through Las Vegas and Henderson. The museum plans to restore and display the chapel with its original features, and is asking anyone with photos or memories of the Candlelight Wedding Chapel to contact the museum's staff. Advertisement

After more than 40 years on the Strip, the Candlelight Wedding Chapel finally has a new home at the Clark County Heritage Museum, 1830 S. Boulder Highway.

The chapel made the approximately five-hour trip down side streets in Las Vegas and Henderson in one piece via the Bland-Ford Movers. Because of the chapel's 1,400-square-foot size, the moving truck could not move too quickly along the city streets.

Clark County Heritage Museum Administrator Mark Ryzdynski said the winding path, which brought the chapel through residential neighborhoods and less-traveled streets from midnight to 6 a.m. on March 1, was necessary to avoid the more expensive utility lines. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department escorted the truck through.

"I'm trying to picture it rolling through a neighborhood like mine. You just don't see a building rolling down the road every day," Ryzdynski said.

The entire process of readying and moving the building cost about $72,500. Ryzdynski said necessary steps such as having the building inspected for mold, lead and asbestos were included in the cost.

"It's more costly than most would assume off-hand," he said.

The chapel will rest on wooden blocks until it is set into a foundation at the museum, which will cost additional money. Ryzdynski said the initial estimate was $1.3 million, but said he believes the number is high. Usually, he said, the cost of setting down a building of the chapel's size is in the $50,000 to $70,000 range.

"The faster it's set down, the better," Ryzdynski said. "It's essentially defying gravity for a time."

He said if the price is what he expects, the chapel should be on the ground within the year.

The process of restoration and preservation takes about two years. The preservers will examine photographs and the structure and listen to interviews to determine what features are original.

The chapel will not only be restored to its original 1966 look, but also will serve as a piece of history for the wedding chapel industry in Las Vegas.

Ryzdynski said the museum continues to look for people who were married in the chapel who can donate photos, wedding items and oral histories. They are encouraged to call the museum at 455-7955.

"We are looking for copies of anything they would want to share with us," he said.

Candlelight Wedding Chapel owner Gordon Gust donated the building to the museum a few years ago when the property it was on was purchased to build a new resort.

Gust witnessed part of the late night move.

"It's kind of bittersweet for me because it was my baby for years. It's sweet knowing that it's going to be restored. I get some gratification from that," Gust said.

Gust said about 14,000 weddings per year were performed at the Candlelight Wedding Chapel until it closed in 2003.

"A lot of families have come into the world because of that," he said.

Once the chapel is restored, there is a possibility that it will be operational once more.

"There's not many things in Las Vegas that are historical things. I think it will be very interesting for people to see," Gust said.