CLEARWATER: In celebration of the 83rd Anniversary of the Fort Harrison in downtown Clearwater, the Church of Scientology, Flag Service Organization is proud to announce a series of weekly open houses called “Sundays at the Fort Harrison.” This weekly event runs every Sunday from 11:30 – 2:30 and is free to the public.

In addition to historical tours of the facility, guests are also invited to find out about the origins of Scientology and the biography of its Founder, L. Ron Hubbard.

One of the highlights of the tour is to see the signs of the transition that was made from the Fort Harrison as an elegant, tourist hotel to the Jack Tar Harrison – a modern motor lodge and convention center.

From the 50's through to the mid 60’s, the Fort Harrison maintained its position as a luxurious retreat that was also the center of a thriving Clearwater community.

Purchased by the Jack Tar Corporation in the early 50’s, the hotel was re-named the Jack Tar Harrison Hotel. To modernize the hotel additions were made to the building. A parking structure, a 1,400-seat auditorium and 85 new guestrooms were added. An authentic Japanese garden was added to the grounds of the hotel. It was lit at night so guests could hold special events there on warmer winter evenings.

Hotel brochures of the time boasted a "Brilliantly Modern Motor Inn." Cashing in on the fad that was sending people to drive-in movie theaters and drive through fast-food restaurants, the Jack Tar Harrison offered a drive-through closed-circuit TV registration system.

The Gas Buggy Lounge, located in the front of the hotel, offered a supper club environment for guests of the hotel. The Lounge became renown for its roast beef dinners and for its musical entertainment. It also, incidentally, became a favorite watering hole for local businessmen and women who would adjourn there after a busy day at work. (It is now known as the Hour Glass Restaurant).
An incident in 1965 gave the Fort Harrison an important place in the history of rock and roll. In that year, an up and coming band came to town to perform a concert at Jack Russell Stadium. Their reputation as a wild, fast-living rock and roll band preceded them. Their dates for the evening, local high school seniors, were chaperoned by society matrons. Their show was closed down by the Clearwater Police Department after three songs.

Returning to their rooms at the Jack Tar Harrison, the lead guitarist began writing the music for a new song. Falling asleep before he could complete it, legend has it that he was joined by his band mates the next day at the hotel pool to finish it.

The name of the group was the Rolling Stones. And the song? Appropriately, it was titled "(Can't get no) Satisfaction."

In April of 2008, the Church of Scientology undertook detailed renovations to restore the aging facility to its former grandeur and beyond.

Completed in 2009, this renovation began when the Fort Harrison was stripped virtually bare and rebuilt from its core. This included installation of new state-of-the-art systems – plumbing, electrical and central air and heating – as well as fully modernized professional kitchens to service the retreat’s three restaurants. Particular care was taken to make the work and the final product environmentally friendly. This included recycled “blue jean” insulation, high efficiency water systems to reduce consumption and energy- efficient lighting, electrical and air conditioning.

Despite all the modernization, the Fort Harrison still bears its hallmark historical touches, including the replication of the lobby’s original black wrought iron work and gold leafed moldings, resurfacing of the entire exterior as well as restoring architectural detail that had been lost in the building’s “modernization” in the 1950’s.

The Fort Harrison is the international spiritual retreat of the Church of Scientology where parishioners come from all over the world to partake of the Church’s religious services. However, community groups and charitable organizations are invited to use the magnificent Crystal Ballroom, the grand auditorium and splendid gardens for their charity functions.

Since the Fort Harrison’s grand re-opening in March of 2009, groups such as the North Greenwood Community Coalition, Jazztorians, the Sunscreen Film Festival and the Clearwater Downtown Partnership have utilized the facility for their fundraisers.

For more information and for scheduling tours and booking private and community events, contact Lisa Mansell at (727) 467-6860.

- end -

[article.email.prefix]: fortharrison83rd@gmail.com

Email this article to someone >>

Make a quick comment on this article >>