Fort Harrison Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology
's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida
. It is owned and operated by the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc.
, a Florida corporation.
The hotel has 11 stories and features 220 rooms, three restaurants, a swimming pool and a ballroom.
and was used as a community center for many years. The hotel was operated by Ransom E. Olds, inventor of the Oldsmobile
, from 1926 until his death in 1950.
In 1953 the hotel was bought by the Jack Tar Hotels
and became known as the “New Fort Harrison Hotel, a Jack Tar Hotel”. The company added a cabana
area to the building.
By the 1970s the hotel had begun to fall into disrepair. In 1975, the Church of Scientology purchased the building under the names “Southern Land Development and Leasing Corp” and “United Churches of Florida Inc”. In 1976, the Church of Scientology's connection and the named purchasers was reported, by the Saint Petersburg Times, as was the Church's plan for a $2.8 million restoration and upgrade of the hotel.
In 2007, the Church announced that the hotel would undergo another $20 million restoration project, but not when the project would begin.
The Fort Harrison has been the site of at least three suspicious deaths since 1975, most notably the death of Lisa McPherson
, who died after spending 17 days in room 174, of the building. The officially reported cause of death was a blood clot caused by dehydration and bedrest. This was later challenged in court. In 1997, a church spokesman acknowledged that McPherson died at the Fort Harrison, rather than on the way to the hospital. The church later retracted its spokesman's statement.
In February 1980, prior to McPherson’s death, a Scientologist named Josephus A. Havenith was found dead at the Fort Harrison. He was discovered in a bathtub filled with water hot enough to have burned his skin off. The officially reported cause of death was drowning, although the coroner noted that, when he was found, Havenith's head was not submerged.
In August 1988 Scientologist Heribert Pfaff died of a seizure in the Fort Harrison Hotel. He had recently stopped taking his seizure medication in favor of a vitamin program.
In 1997, Clearwater police received over 160 911 calls from the Fort Harrison Hotel, but they were denied entry into the hotel by Scientology security.
The Fort Harrison is joined by a walkway bridge over South Fort Harrison Avenue to the unfinished Super Power Building
on the other side of the street.
" at the hotel.
The hotel was once the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies
.
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
. It is owned and operated by the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc.
Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc.
The Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization is an American 501 non-profit corporation. Within the worldwide network of Scientology corporations and entities, the FSO is officially referred to as the "spiritual headquarters" of the Church of Scientology...
, a Florida corporation.
The hotel has 11 stories and features 220 rooms, three restaurants, a swimming pool and a ballroom.
History
The hotel opened in 1926 as the New Fort Harrison Hotel, replacing the former Fort Harrison Hotel. It was built by developer Ed HaleyEd Haley
James Edward "Ed" Haley was a blind professional American musician and composer.- Biography :Ed Haley was born in August 18851 on the Trace Fork of Big Harts Creek in Logan County, West Virginia. His father, Thomas Milton Haley, was a well-known fiddler in the Guyandotte and Big Sandy Valleys. His...
and was used as a community center for many years. The hotel was operated by Ransom E. Olds, inventor of the Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
, from 1926 until his death in 1950.
In 1953 the hotel was bought by the Jack Tar Hotels
Jack Tar Hotels
Jack Tar Hotels was a major hotel chain in the United States until 1997 when they were sold to Allegro. The sale included "including 100% ownership of a resort and casino in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and assume two leases for resorts in Montego Bay, Jamaica and Cancun, Mexico...
and became known as the “New Fort Harrison Hotel, a Jack Tar Hotel”. The company added a cabana
Cabana
A cabana or cabaña may mean:Structures:*a small hut built with a thatched roof, most commonly built in tropical climates near bodies of water, or...
area to the building.
By the 1970s the hotel had begun to fall into disrepair. In 1975, the Church of Scientology purchased the building under the names “Southern Land Development and Leasing Corp” and “United Churches of Florida Inc”. In 1976, the Church of Scientology's connection and the named purchasers was reported, by the Saint Petersburg Times, as was the Church's plan for a $2.8 million restoration and upgrade of the hotel.
In 2007, the Church announced that the hotel would undergo another $20 million restoration project, but not when the project would begin.
Notable incidents
In December 1926, daredevil Henry Roland scaled the building blindfolded.The Fort Harrison has been the site of at least three suspicious deaths since 1975, most notably the death of Lisa McPherson
Lisa McPherson
Lisa McPherson was a member of the Church of Scientology who died of a pulmonary embolism while under the care of the Flag Service Organization , a branch of the Church of Scientology...
, who died after spending 17 days in room 174, of the building. The officially reported cause of death was a blood clot caused by dehydration and bedrest. This was later challenged in court. In 1997, a church spokesman acknowledged that McPherson died at the Fort Harrison, rather than on the way to the hospital. The church later retracted its spokesman's statement.
In February 1980, prior to McPherson’s death, a Scientologist named Josephus A. Havenith was found dead at the Fort Harrison. He was discovered in a bathtub filled with water hot enough to have burned his skin off. The officially reported cause of death was drowning, although the coroner noted that, when he was found, Havenith's head was not submerged.
In August 1988 Scientologist Heribert Pfaff died of a seizure in the Fort Harrison Hotel. He had recently stopped taking his seizure medication in favor of a vitamin program.
In 1997, Clearwater police received over 160 911 calls from the Fort Harrison Hotel, but they were denied entry into the hotel by Scientology security.
Use in Scientology
The Fort Harrison Hotel is used by the Church of Scientology as an area in which to feed, train and house visiting practitioners. It provides both accommodations and "course & auditing" rooms, for Scientologists studying at high levels of Scientology.The Fort Harrison is joined by a walkway bridge over South Fort Harrison Avenue to the unfinished Super Power Building
Super Power Building
The Super Power Building is an edifice in Clearwater, Florida, the Church of Scientology's largest property in the city. Due to a work stoppage of several years, it was left only partially built, resulting in criticism of the structure as an "eyesore" by ranking city officials...
on the other side of the street.
Trivia
In 1965, the Rolling Stones wrote their hit song "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
" Satisfaction" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in 1965. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and produced by Andrew Loog Oldham. Richards's throwaway three-note guitar riff — intended to be replaced by horns — opens and drives the song...
" at the hotel.
The hotel was once the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
See also
- Church of ScientologyChurch of ScientologyThe Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
- Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc.Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc.The Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization is an American 501 non-profit corporation. Within the worldwide network of Scientology corporations and entities, the FSO is officially referred to as the "spiritual headquarters" of the Church of Scientology...
- Church of Scientology InternationalChurch of Scientology InternationalThe Church of Scientology International, Inc. is a Californian 501 non-profit corporation. Within the worldwide network of Scientology corporations and entities, CSI is officially referred to as the "mother church" of the Church of Scientology....
- Church of Spiritual TechnologyChurch of Spiritual TechnologyThe Church of Spiritual Technology, also known as CST, is a Californian 501 non-profit corporation, incorporated in 1982, which owns all the copyrights of the estate of L. Ron Hubbard. The CST is doing business as L. Ron Hubbard Library...
- DianeticsDianeticsDianetics is a set of ideas and practices regarding the metaphysical relationship between the mind and body that was invented by the science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard and is practiced by followers of Scientology...
- Religious Technology CenterReligious Technology CenterThe Religious Technology Center is a Californian non-profit corporation. RTC was founded in 1982 by the Church of Scientology in order to control and oversee the use of all of the trademarks, symbols and texts of Scientology and Dianetics, including the copyrighted works of Scientology founder and...
- ScientologyScientologyScientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
- Scientology controversies
External links
- Flag Service Organization - International Religious Retreat
- The Fort Harrison - Flag History > The Fort Harrison
- Flag.org Scientology in Clearwater
- QuickTime VR tour of the Fort Harrison (be sure to enable "Hot Spots")
- Property ownership record of the Fort Harrison Hotel
- Corporate filing of the FSO
- www.whyaretheydead.info Web site investigating the various suspicious deaths that occurred in the hotel