- L. Ron Hubbard House
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L. Ron Hubbard House
Location: 1812 19th Street, NW Washington, D.C. Built: 1904 Architect: Wood, Donn, & Deming Architectural style: Mediterranean Revival Style Governing body: Private Part of: Dupont Circle Historic District (#78003056) Designated CP: July 21, 1978[1] The L. Ron Hubbard House, also known as the Original Founding Church of Scientology, is a historic house museum and former Scientology church located at 1812 19th Street, NW in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States.[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]
Contents
History
The row of buildings located at 1810-1820 19th Street, NW was designed by local architectural firm Wood, Donn, & Deming 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. 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.[10] The seized items were returned to the Founding Church in October 1973.[11]
Additional Scientology organizations once located at the L. Ron Hubbard House include the National Academy of American Psychology (NAAP).[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
Entrance to the L. Ron Hubbard House
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 2009 property value of the L. Ron Hubbard House is $1,817,440, a $782,020 decrease from the 2008 value of $2,599,460. Since October 27, 2003, ownership of the building has been registered to Heritage Properties International.[14]
See also
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ a b c d e Banville, Jule (2007-09-11). "The L. Ron Hubbard House: Get There Before Travolta". Washington City Paper. http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/09/11/the-l-ron-hubbard-house-get-there-before-travolta/. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
- ^ Malko, George (1970). Scientology. Delacorte Press. pp. 66
- ^ Nigosian, Soloman A. (2007). World Religions: A Historical Approach. Macmillan. pp. 492. ISBN 0312442378
- ^ Larson, Bob (2004). Larson's Book of World Religions and Alternative Spirituality. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. pp. 431. ISBN 084236417X
- ^ a b Null, Druscilla J. (1983-07-07). "Architectural Data Form". Historic American Buildings Survey. National Park Service. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.dc0390. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
- ^ "Buys House in Washington". Washington Post. (1906-07-19). http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/254078402.html?dids=254078402:254078402&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Jul+19%2C+1906&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post++(1877-1954)&edition=&startpage=14&desc=BUYS+HOUSE+IN+WASHINGTON. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
- ^ United States Congress (1912). Official Congressional Directory. United States Government Printing Office. pp. 385
- ^ "News In Brief". Washington Post. (1995-10-28). http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/19435487.html?dids=19435487:19435487&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Oct+28%2C+1995&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=C.06&desc=NEWS+IN+BRIEF. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
- ^ United States of America v. Founding Church of Scientology, 333 F 1-63 (D.C. 1971).
- ^ MacKaye, William R. (1973-10-24). "Church Gets Back Books, E-Meters". Washington Post. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/136522342.html?dids=136522342:136522342&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Oct+24%2C+1973&author=By+William+R.+MacKaye+Washington+Post+Staff+Writer&pub=The+Washington+Post%2C+Times+Herald++(1959-1973)&edition=&startpage=C1&desc=Church+Gets+Back+Books%2C+E-Meters. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
- ^ White, Alex Sandri (1969). The Seeker's Guide to Groups and Societies. Aurea Publications. pp. 36
- ^ Landers, Chris (2008-04-24). "Serious Business: Anonymous takes on Scientology (and doesn't afraid of anything)". Orlando Weekly. http://www.orlandoweekly.com/features/story.asp?id=12304. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
- ^ "DC Citizen Atlas Real Property Reports". Government of the District of Columbia. http://citizenatlas.dc.gov/atlasapps/propertyhometab.aspx?QString=. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
External links
Coordinates: 38°54′52″N 77°02′36″W / 38.914581°N 77.043352°W
L. Ron Hubbard Life Spouse(s) Family and relatives Novels & novellas Battlefield Earth · Buckskin Brigades · Death's Deputy · Fear · Final Blackout · The Kingslayer · Mission Earth · Ole Doc Methuselah · Revolt in the Stars · Slaves of Sleep · To the Stars · The Secret of Treasure Island · Typewriter in the SkyMusic Biographies Categories:- Historic district contributing properties
- Houses completed in 1904
- Dupont Circle
- Historic house museums in Washington, D.C.
- L. Ron Hubbard
- Mediterranean Revival style architecture in the United States
- Mission Revival architecture
- Museums established in 2007
- Scientology properties
- Biographical museums in Washington, D.C.
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