Over the years the Gretna Green Wedding Chapel has moved locations around Yuma, Arizona, with at least one disappearing altogether. The actual chapel where Errol and Lili were married on June 19, 1935 still exists and is now a simple, unassuming private home. Because of the growth of foliage in the convening years, it was difficult to line up a single shot to correspond with the vintage photo, so two were required to offer an opportunity to make Then & Now comparisons. Both buildings in the early photo can be seen in current photos on either side of it.
It is apparent that the two buildings have changed very little, but what I find most fascinating is that it appears that the small young palm tree to the left of the chapel entrance in the vintage photo is now a fully grown palm seen in the same position in the current photo on the left. If so, it outlived not only the chapel but many of the marriages conducted at this very location–including that of Flynn and Damita.
Robert
— Robert
Excellent work, Robert! Here’s some related information regarding Yuma, which I posted last month, following my visit to town:
Wow! Love your solution to the problem of viewing the chapel with the two bookend photos. Agree, the small palm now fully grown and surviving is amazing …
Your then & now photos are just wonderful.Thank you!