The chapel was once part of a film set used in many westerns. The set burnt down in 2004 but the chapel was rescued and now sits alone. Elvis Presley made a film (Charro) on the set in the 1960's so the chapel was named after him. It serves 4 functions:
- tourism
- wedding ceremonies & church ceremonies on public holidays
- seats named in remembrance of local people who helped restore it or have worshipped there
- in remembrance of films made using it as a location, and of the actors who appeared in them.
From the outside it appears a normal chapel but on the inside the regular look of a chapel were weddings are held is combined with a kitsch homage to Elvis and to the films made there. Fake windows are created using netting and posters of the films but the benches are traditional church seating.
I think the combination of the traditional works well with the tasteless tack. The balance is there due to the style of the outside of the building, the seating and layout of the inside against the tack of the fake windows and the Elvis memorbilia. The people who choose to worship there are happy with the interior being adapted to attract passing tourists, those wanting something like a Las Vegas wedding. There is still enough of a sense of it being a chapel to make it work for both needs.
