The L. Ron Hubbard House, also known as the Original Founding Church of Scientology, is a

writer's house museum Writers' homes (sometimes writer's, author's or literary houses) are locations where writers lived. Frequently, these homes are preserved as historic house museums and literary tourism destinations, called writer's home museums, especially when t ...

and former Scientology church located at 1812 19th Street NW in the

Dupont Circle Dupont Circle (or DuPont Circle) is a traffic circle, park, neighborhood and historic district in Northwest Washington, D.C. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is bounded approximately by 16th Street NW to the east, 22nd Street NW t ...

neighborhood of

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, 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. After

L. Ron Hubbard Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (March 13, 1911 – January 24, 1986) was an American author, primarily of science fiction and fantasy stories, who is best known for having founded the Church of Scientology. In 1950, Hubbard authored '' Dianeti ...

established

Scientology Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It has been variously defined as a cult, a Scientology as a business, business, or a new religious movement. The most recent ...

in the 1950s the building housed offices of the

Founding Church of Scientology The Fraser Mansion is a building at 1701 20th Street NW, at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue, 20th Street, and R Street in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Since its construction in 1890, the mansion has served as a priv ...

and it is where he performed the first Scientology wedding. Hubbard's personal office was located in the building from 1956 to 1961. In 2022 the building was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

(NRHP), a few months after it was added to the

District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites The District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites is a register of historic places in Washington, D.C. that are designated by the District of Columbia Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), a component of the District of Columbia Govern ...

. The building is also a contributing property to the

Dupont Circle Historic District Dupont Circle (or DuPont Circle) is a traffic circle, park, neighborhood and historic district in Northwest Washington, D.C. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is bounded approximately by 16th Street NW to the east, 22nd Street NW ...

, a neighborhood listed on the NRHP.

History

The row of buildings located at 1810–1820 19th Street NW was designed by local architectural firm Wood, Donn, & Deming in 1904 and built by John N. Nolan. Each house was sold for $17,000 and the original owner of 1812 19th Street NW was Arvine W. Johnston. Notable owners of the home during the early 20th century included

United States Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

s James K. Jones and Claude A. Swanson. 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. 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). Hubbard performed the first Scientology wedding in the building on December 20, 1958. In January 1963, the

U.S. Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

(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. The seized items were returned to the Founding Church in October 1973. 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 and the building was renovated and restored. In 2022 the property owners filed a historic landmark nomination for the building due to its connection with Hubbard and the Founding Church of Scientology. The application was approved and the building was added to the

on June 30, 2022, and the

on September 6, 2022.

Architecture

The three-story L. Ron Hubbard House is an example of eclectic

Beaux-Arts architecture Beaux-Arts architecture ( , ) was the academic architectural style taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, particularly from the 1830s to the end of the 19th century. It drew upon the principles of French neoclassicism, but also incorp ...

with

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...

, Italiante,

Georgian Revival Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover— George I, George II, Ge ...

, and Neoclassical details. 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 A Dutch gable or Flemish gable is a gable whose sides have a shape made up of one or more curves and has a pediment at the top. The gable may be an entirely decorative projection above a flat section of roof line, or may be the termination of a ...

. Among the rooms on the first floor are the vestibule, foyer, and parlor (now a reception room), which includes bay windows overlooking 19th Street. There are fireplaces on this floor, including one that is original and features a mantel. All of the rooms on this floor are accessible via a hallway. A patio that is also accessible via the first floor is located behind the building. The second floor originally included two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a living room. The living room served as Hubbard's office and features a projecting bay window. One of the bedrooms served as the Hubbard Communications Office. The four bedrooms and two bathrooms on the third floor are now used as office space and conference area. The basement was previously a cellar accessed from outside, but was converted into an apartment in the 1970s.

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. The museum describes itself 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." 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 Operation Snow White was a criminal conspiracy by the Church of Scientology during the 1970s to purge unfavorable records about Scientology and its founder, L. Ron Hubbard. This project included a series of infiltrations into and thefts from 136 ...

. On the second floor are two rooms that serve as a library and reading room. 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 The Hubbard Association of Scientologists (HAS) was the original corporation founded in 1952 by L. Ron Hubbard that managed all Scientology organizations. The HAS evolved from the Office of L. Ron Hubbard located in Phoenix, Arizona. It was re-inc ...

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. The 2022

property value Real estate appraisal, property valuation or land valuation is the process of developing an opinion of value for real property (usually market value). Real estate transactions often require appraisals because they occur infrequently and every prop ...

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, a subsidiary of Scientology's

Church of Spiritual Technology The Church of Spiritual Technology (CST) is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, incorporated in 1982, which owns all the copyrights of the estate of L. Ron Hubbard and licenses their use. CST does business as L. Ron Hubbard Library ...

References

External links

Official site

Church of Scientology of Washington, D.C.
{{Authority control 2007 establishments in Washington, D.C. Beaux-Arts architecture in Washington, D.C. Hubbard District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites Dupont Circle Historic house museums in Washington, D.C. Houses completed in 1904 Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Washington, D.C. House Literary museums in the United States Museums established in 2007 Religious buildings and structures in Washington, D.C. Religious museums in the United States Scientology properties

History

Architecture

Current usage

See also

References

External links