Fort Harrison Hotel
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| Fort Harrison Hotel | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Scientology |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Church of Scientology Flag Service Org, Inc. |
| Leadership | Religious Technology Center |
| Location | |
| Location | Clearwater, Florida |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Mediterranean Revival |
| Completed | 1926 |
| Website | |
| Flag Service Organization | |
The Fort Harrison Hotel now serves as the flagship building of Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida. 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.
By the 1970s the hotel 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.
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 later relinquished her Florida medical license[1] under pressure by the state when she changed her findings regarding the cause of death (to that of 'accidental") in the case.[2], forcing charges to be dropped[3]. This was one of several cases where Wood has misdiagnosed the cause of death[4] In 1995 Wood said that McPherson had died of complications from dehydration after spending 17 days in the care of fellow Scientologists. In 2000, she said the death was accidental. The medical investigation of another death indicated the clumsiness surrounding the McPherson case was not an isolated incident.[5] Over 150 autopsies performed under her supervision had to be reviewed.[6][7]
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."[1] 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.
- 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.[1] However, many speculate that the Fort Harrison related deaths are residue of the Church's cult-like design.
References
- ^ a b Lucy, Morgan (December 7, 1997). "For some Scientologists, pilgrimage has been fatal". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
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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")
- Google.com - 'Google local' (overhead view of the Fort Harrison and adjacent buildings in downtown Clearwater)
- Property ownership record of the Fort Harrison Hotel
- Corporate filing of the FSO