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🌾 Scientology & Wichita

🌾 Scientology & Wichita

A Surprising Connection

Landon Huslig
September 10, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Wichita!

Happy National Swap Ideas Day - anyone have any good ideas to swap?

Let's get to it!

- Landon Huslig

Together with the Wichita Wind Surge

The home regular season for the Wind Surge might be over, but don’t cry - Equity Bank Park will still be rocking.

Tyler Hubbard is coming to town on September 14th (this Sunday) and I can’t think of a place you’d rather be than at the home of the Wind Surge listening to country music.

Get your tickets today before they’re gone!

Wichita & Scientology: An Unexpected Connection

Today might be one of the more controversial deep dives I’ve done, but let me say this upfront: I’m not here to advertise, condone, or diminish Scientology. I just randomly stumbled across this story, thought it was fascinating, and wanted to share.

A while back, I was parking south of Larcher’s before grabbing coffee (great spot, by the way), when I noticed a sign on the street mentioning L. Ron Hubbard (not to be confused with Elrond from Lord of the Rings).

The name rang a bell. Then it clicked: isn’t that the Scientology guy? The only thing I know about Scientology is they have high profile members like Tom Cruise, Will Smith (maybe?), and more locally, Kirstie Alley - rest in peace.

So, that led me down the rabbit hole: What is the connection between Wichita and Scientology?

What is Scientology?

The LA branch is a wee bit bigger than Wichita’s

Before we go too far, let’s get on the same page.

Scientology is a religion founded in the 1950s by L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer who had earlier written Dianetics (“a system developed by the founder of the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, which aims to relieve disorders by cleansing the mind of harmful mental images.” - Dictionary.com).

Hubbard’s “Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health” was released on May 9, 1950. Eventually, Hubbard pivoted from dianetics to Scientology.

At its core, Scientology is about “auditing” - a process that aims to clear people of negative influences called “engrams.”

That’s the oversimplified version. But the main point: Scientology wasn’t born in LA. Its earliest roots actually run right through Wichita, Kansas.

And fun fact: Wichita still has an active branch today, the Church of Scientology Mission at 3705 East Douglas Avenue. Next time you’re driving through College Hill, you might just pass it.

Why Wichita?

The Church of Scientology in Wichita as it stands today

So why Wichita of all places?

During the fall of 1950, living in Wichita, Hubbard grew Dianetics to over 500 auditing groups across the US, but the movement lost credibility by that fall.

In 1951, Hubbard was in trouble. The movement was bankrupt, and Hubbard himself was strapped for cash.

Enter Don Purcell, a Wichita oil and real estate businessman. Purcell was wealthy, interested in new ideas, and saw potential in Hubbard’s system. He essentially gave Hubbard a lifeline that allowed him to publish his book Science of Survival in 1951 and continue the movement.

It’s wild to think about: Wichita, with its booming post-war economy and entrepreneurial spirit, became the unlikely host for Hubbard’s next chapter.

What Happened in Wichita?

The earliest mention of Scientology via newspaper - 12/19/1952 - Evening Eagle

This is where it gets really interesting.

Hubbard and Purcell set up shop in Wichita.
They published Science of Survival, another early text.
They attracted followers, but also debts. Lots of debts.
The foundation ended up filing bankruptcy in early 1952.

Hubbard and Purcell had a major falling out. At one point, Hubbard was even arrested in connection to failing to return property from the Wichita Foundation.

But out of all this chaos came a turning point. At a 1952 convention in Wichita, Hubbard first introduced the word “Scientology” which was said to be a new science he discovered beyond Dianetics and demonstrated a new device, the e-meter, which became central to the religion.

So, depending on how you look at it, Scientology was essentially born in Wichita.

The Wichita Beacon 11/19/1968

How Wichita Shaped Scientology

If not for Wichita, Scientology may never have existed.

The financial lifeline Purcell gave Hubbard, the legal mess that followed, and the eventual pivot to a new system all happened here.

In many ways, Wichita forced Hubbard to reinvent himself. The fallout with Purcell seems to have influenced Hubbard’s later mistrust of outsiders and critics, and his drive to maintain total control over his movement.

So yes, Wichita didn’t just host a chapter in Hubbard’s life. It shaped the very DNA of Scientology.

There is a lot more to the story including Hubbard’s Sea Org era from 1967 to 1975 and his hiding from 1975 until his death in 1986.

Scientology in Wichita Today

Fast forward to now. While Scientology is more famously associated with places like Los Angeles and Clearwater, Florida, Wichita is still on the map.

The Scientology Mission of Wichita is active on East Douglas. It’s not nearly as big or visible as those national hubs, but it’s a reminder that Wichita isn’t just a footnote. It’s still part of the ongoing story.

There are over 11,000 Scientology organizations worldwide and somewhere between 8-15 million members according to Wikipedia.

Why This Matters

Most people probably don’t think of Wichita when they hear Scientology. But I think it’s fascinating that our city played such a pivotal role in the birth of one of the world’s most controversial modern religions.

It’s one of those “hidden history” stories that adds to the weird and wonderful tapestry of Wichita.