Fort Harrison Hotel

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Fort Harrison Hotel
Basic information
Location Clearwater, Florida
Religious affiliation Scientology
Ecclesiastical status Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc.
Leadership Religious Technology Center
Website Flag Service Organization
Architectural description
Architectural style Mediterranean Revival
Year completed 1926
Specifications

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 operated by the Floridian corporation Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc..

The hotel first opened in 1926 and for many years was Clearwater's most luxurious hotel. It was a focal point of the community during the Great Depression and World War II.

In 1965, the Rolling Stones wrote their hit song "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" there.[1]

By the 1970s the hotel, then known as the Jack Tar Harrison, had begun to fall into disrepair. In 1975, the Church of Scientology purchased the building under the cover name United Churches of Florida and began its restoration. In the 1980s, the building was brought back into a state of good repair including restoration of its marble floors and art deco details and craftmanship.

It provides accommodations and course and auditing rooms for parishioners studying at high levels of Scientology.

The Fort Harrison Hotel is joined by a walkway to the unfinished Super Power Building across the street.

Contents

[edit] Lisa McPherson

Lisa McPherson
Lisa McPherson

In 1995, the Fort Harrison Hotel and the Church of Scientology were embroiled in a controversy regarding the death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson. McPherson had had a minor car accident, after which she behaved strangely, taking off her clothes in public; against medical advice, Church staffers got her out of the hospital and took her to the Fort Harrison Hotel for "rest and relaxation". Seventeen days later, she was taken to a different hospital and pronounced dead on arrival due to malnutrition and dehydration; the subsequent investigation revealed that she had been receiving unlicensed medical treatment at the hotel, including force-feeding and the administration of drugs prescribed by a doctor who never saw her.

Florida State Medical Examiner Joan Wood relinquished her Florida medical license in 2000 under pressure by the state when she changed her findings regarding the cause of Lisa McPherson's death to "accidental", forcing charges to be dropped.[2][3][4] In 1995, Wood had said that McPherson died of complications from dehydration after spending 17 days in the care of fellow Scientologists.

There were other controversies surrounding Wood's performance[2], including cases of apparent misdiagnoses of the cause of death.[5] After she resigned, 150 autopsies performed under her supervision had to be reviewed.[6]

[edit] Other Scientologist deaths

According to a 1997 article in the St. Petersburg Times, since 1980 "at least eight members of the Church of Scientology have died in Clearwater under circumstances that leave their friends, families and in some cases law enforcement authorities looking for their own answers."[7] Two of those deaths occurred at the Fort Harrison Hotel:

  • Josephus A. Havenith, 45, who died in February 1980 at the Fort Harrison Hotel in a bathtub filled with water so hot it burned his skin off. The coroner noted that Havenith's head was not underwater, yet showed signs of drowning.[8]
  • Heribert Pfaff, 31, who died of an apparent seizure in the Fort Harrison Hotel in August 1988 after he quit taking medication that controlled his seizures and was placed instead on a program of vitamins and minerals as suggested by the Church of Scientology.

Scientology officials say these deaths are isolated, statistically normal, cases. They charge that any alleged connection is based on the "ill-formed suspicions" of Church critics.[7] However, many speculate that the Fort Harrison related deaths are residue of the Church's cult-like design.

[edit] See also

Scientology Portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ Thirty-five years ago, the Rolling Stones created rock 'n' roll history in this somnolent city, St. Petersburg Times, July 23, 2000
  2. ^ a b William R. Levesque. "Medical examiner leaves office", St. Petersburg Times, 2000-09-30. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. 
  3. ^ Susan Taylor Martin. "Scientology case takes toll on doctor", St. Petersburg Times, 2005-07-09. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. 
  4. ^ Craig Pittman. "McPherson case expected to haunt medical examiner", St. Petersburg Times, 2000-06-13. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. 
  5. ^ Cary Davis. "Lawsuit blames medical examiner", St. Petersburg Times, 2002-12-17. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. 
  6. ^ Thomas C. Tobin. "Questions put 150 autopsies in doubt", St. Petersburg Times, 2000-04-13. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. 
  7. ^ a b Lucy, Morgan. "For some Scientologists, pilgrimage has been fatal", St. Petersburg Times, December 7, 1997. Retrieved on 2006-12-04. 
  8. ^ Death of Scientologist Josephus A. Havenith

[edit] External links