A step back in time: See inside Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's former NJ house
BAY HEAD, N.J. – At a glance, it’s one in a long line of picturesque late-Victorian homes in Bay Head’s historic district. Except there’s a large bronze plaque on the front porch, next to the door.
Presented by the New Jersey borough’s historical society, it commends the “restoration and preservation of a home of historic merit.”
This is where L. Ron Hubbard wrote the bestselling book “Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health,” which became a foundational text for the Church of Scientology. Inside, the six-bedroom, four-bathroom residence has been restored to look as it did in the winter of 1949 to 1950, when Hubbard produced Dianetics on a Remington typewriter.
In 2018 the house earned a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Within Scientology, it is akin to a pilgrimage site. But it’s not open to the public, and outside of the religious movement it mostly flies under the radar, upkept by rotating caretakers who live there.
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Scientology, notable for attracting a series of Hollywood stars to its faith, has also been the recipient of harsh criticism, in some cases by some former adherents – including actress Leah Remini, who has called out movie star Tom Cruise for his connection to the church. Allegations of corruption and abuse have been lodged in court filings.
By any measure, Hubbard’s former Bay Head home is a curious and largely unexplored slice of American history. This is a closer look.
Stepping back in time
Hubbard only lived in the Bay Head home for a few months, but it was a transformative period. When he arrived in September 1949, he was subsisting as a prolific pulp fiction writer. He left in the spring of 1950 amid international fame as letters about "Dianetics" arrived by the mailbag.
In 2010, a real-estate firm linked to Scientology bought the 3,000-square-foot house for $3 million (it previously had sold for $635,000 in 1989), and restored both the exterior and interior to its 1949 character. Outside, untreated red cedar siding was installed to match the look in photos of Hubbard’s time there.
In the living room there’s a TV encased in a wooden cabinet, a brick fireplace, a vintage record player and a weathered encyclopedia set. The dining room features a six-seat table, set for dinner, where Hubbard hosted his writer friends and early "Dianetics" enthusiasts. The spacious kitchen includes a 1950s-replica fridge and freezer, the original gas stovetop and even an imitation black rotary-dial phone on the wall.
Upstairs, replicas of Hubbard’s typewriter and desk sit next to a bed in what was his writing studio. There are two display lounges. One is a picture-history of Hubbard’s travels and life moments, including a diary entry noting his promotion to Eagle Scout. The other is lined with his works, including copies of "Dianetics" in several languages and pulp-fiction magazines that carried his sci-fi stories.
Visitors and curiosity-seekers
Since the restoration was completed in 2011, the occupants have changed a couple of times.
“Every several years we have rotated Church staff to provide them with the personal experience of touring guests through this historical site,” said Rev. Susan Taylor, Church of Scientology’s national spokesperson.
The current occupants, married couple Myles and Nahomy Parker, moved to the Bay Head house earlier this year. Nahomy said they receive about 10 visitors per week, mostly Scientology members who make appointments. Occasionally a curiosity seeker knocks on the door.
“We don’t deny them a tour if they really want to see it,” Parker said.
Jerry Carino is community columnist for the Asbury Park Press. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.