Las Vegas
Mid-century modern churches
Modernist churches abound in Las Vegas but they don’t all adhere to the typical A-frame design of the period, especially when it comes to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). The following three Mormon chapels and two others are highlighted because of their unique, non A-Frame, mid-century qualities… click on addresses below for Google Map locations.
LDS, 16th, 23rd & 26th Ward Chapel (4201 East Stewart Ave.) – Built in 1967, and of similar construction to the LDS “Fairmont Standard” plan, this absolute stunner of a mid-century modern temple differs because of its unique glazing throughout and a stripped-down bare steeple.
LDS, 9th Ward Chapel (3400 West Charleston Blvd.) – Designed by architect Harold W. Burton and built in 1961, this gorgeous mid-century building also features 1954 artwork by Norwegian sculptor Torleif S. Knaphus.
LDS, Lav Vegas Ward Chapel (2275 East Tropicana Ave.) – Built in the 1960s, this particular chapel adheres to the LDS’ so-called “Fairmont Standard” plan, a popular structural layout that many of the Mormon churches followed in the 1960s and 70s.
St. Anne Catholic Church (1901 South Maryland Pkwy.) – Founded in 1947, the St. Anne parish enlisted local modernist architect Elmo C. Bruner to design their church in the early 1960s for their growing congregation. The building is a unique and powerful example of mid-century “out of the box” modernism. Bruner also designed the church’s striking colorful mosaic murals.
Griffith United Church (1701 E. Oakey Blvd.) – Built in the mid-1950s, this former Methodist Church features beautiful floor to ceiling stained glass and instead of a standard 50s A-Frame, boasts a unique hyperbolic parabaloid roofline.
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