L. Ron Hubbard House

The L. Ron Hubbard House, also known as the Original Founding Church of Scientology, is a writer's house museum and former Scientology church located at 1812 19th Street NW in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. Public tours are given on a regular basis. The operating Founding Church is now located at 1424 16th Street for services, bookstore and classes.[2] The home served as the residence of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard from 1955 until 1959,[3] during which time he incorporated the Founding Church of Scientology and performed the first Scientology wedding.[2][4][5] The building is a contributing property to the Dupont Circle Historic District, a neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1]

L. Ron Hubbard House
Location1812 19th Street NW Washington, D.C., U.S.
Built1904
ArchitectWood, Donn, & Deming
Architectural styleMediterranean Revival Style
Part ofDupont Circle Historic District (ID78003056)
Designated CPJuly 21, 1978[1]

History

The row of buildings located at 1810–1820 19th Street NW was designed by local architectural firm Wood, Donn, & Deming for Arvine W. Johnston in 1904.[6] Notable owners of the home during the early 20th century included United States Senators James K. Jones[7] and Claude A. Swanson.[8]

Hubbard purchased the home in 1955, the same year he organized the Founding Church which met at 1826 R Street NW from July 21, 1955 until 1959.[2][9] The building later served as the home of the Academy of Scientology, previously located at 1845 R Street NW, and known as The Academy of Religious Arts and Sciences. Additional Scientology organizations once located at the L. Ron Hubbard House include the National Academy of American Psychology (NAAP).[10]

In January 1963, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered a raid against the Academy's 19th Street location, seizing more than 100 e-meters (electronic devices used by Scientologists) and 200 pieces of literature. The raid resulted in a lawsuit filed by the FDA against the Founding Church. In 1971, the Church and FDA reached a settlement which included a ruling that all e-meters bear a prominent warning label.[11] The seized items were returned to the Founding Church in October 1973.[12]

After the Founding Church sold the property in the mid-1970s, it was once again used for residential purposes. An organization called the Friends of L. Ron Hubbard repurchased the home in 2004.[2]

Architecture

The three-story L. Ron Hubbard House is an example of Mediterranean Revival Style architecture, a design frequently used by Waddy Butler Wood and his associates. The building's exterior consists of cream-colored brick, accented with stone and wood trimming. Decorative features include a two-story bay window, red-tiled roof, and Flemish gable.[6]

Current usage

The museum opened in 2007 following a year-long renovation to restore the building to its 1957 appearance. It contains a recreation of the Hubbard Communications Office and various literature describing Hubbard's early life. A tour of the museum is available by appointment only.[2][13] The museum is described as "the landmark location of the first Church of Scientology where writer, explorer and founder L. Ron Hubbard worked from 1957 to 1960 and established a legacy that increasingly influences human rights, religion, literature and education."[14]

The tour begins in the first floor parlor which features photographs of Hubbard's life exhibited in two rooms. The photographs do not include anything related to Hubbard's legal issues, including Operation Snow White. On the second floor are two rooms that were used for office space. They are decorated with 1950s era furniture and include a briefcase and globe once owned by Hubbard as well as an outfit he once wore displayed in a glass case. The rooms also include framed degrees Hubbard received from the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International and the Hubbard Dianetic Research Association. The top floor includes photographs of celebrities associated with Scientology and the group's headquarters in Clearwater, Florida, and a sign with Hubbard's quote "A Scientologist is one who controls, persons environments and situations." On the same floor a promotional video about Scientology is played for museum guests. On the walls of the basement level hang photographs Hubbard took of various monuments in Washington, D.C. The basement includes a room where e-meter sessions are given.[14]

The 2022 property value of the L. Ron Hubbard House is $2,071,200. Since October 27, 2003, ownership of the building has been registered to Heritage Properties International,[15] indicated by tax returns to be a front group of the Church of Spiritual Technology.[16]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. Banville, Jule (2007-09-11). "The L. Ron Hubbard House: Get There Before Travolta". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  3. Malko, George (1970). "Scientology". Delacorte Press. pp. 66.
  4. Nigosian, Soloman A. (2007). World Religions: A Historical Approach. Macmillan. p. 492. ISBN 0-312-44237-8.
  5. Larson, Bob (2004). Larson's Book of World Religions and Alternative Spirituality. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. p. 431. ISBN 0-8423-6417-X.
  6. Null, Druscilla J. (1983-07-07). "Architectural Data Form". Historic American Buildings Survey. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  7. "Buys House in Washington". Washington Post. 1906-07-19. Archived from the original on 2009-08-04. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  8. United States Congress (1912). Official Congressional Directory. United States Government Printing Office. p. 385.
  9. "News In Brief". Washington Post. 1995-10-28. Archived from the original on 2009-08-04. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  10. White, Alex Sandri (1969). The Seeker's Guide to Groups and Societies. Aurea Publications. p. 36.
  11. United States of America v. Founding Church of Scientology, 333 F 1-63 (D.C. 1971).
  12. MacKaye, William R. (1973-10-24). "Church Gets Back Books, E-Meters". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2009-08-04. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  13. Landers, Chris (2008-04-24). "Serious Business: Anonymous takes on Scientology (and doesn't afraid of anything)". Orlando Weekly. Archived from the original on 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  14. Adler, Ben (January 1, 2009). "L. Ron-dezvous". Washington Monthly. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  15. "Real Property Search". Government of the District of Columbia. Archived from the original on 2021-03-26. Retrieved 2022-04-04.
  16. "Heritage Properties International Financial Statements Year Ended 31st December 2016". Companies House. 2018-01-12. Retrieved 2018-03-17.

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