Church of Scientology has vault hidden in New Mexico

By: Megan Cruz, General Assignment Reporter,mdcruz@hearst.com

Published On: Apr 30 2016 03:56:43 PM MDT

LAS VEGAS, N.M. -

Fifty miles east of Las Vegas New Mexico there are two huge diamonds inside two interlocking circles carved right into the earth. For years, neighbors wondered who owned the buildings and private airport next door.

It turns out county records show it's owned by the Church of Spiritual Technology, an organization affiliated with the Church of Scientology.

The religion was created back in 1953 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard.

At the entrance to the property there is a gate and a sign that says private property. There is no mention it belongs to the church. Out there two surveillance cameras can be seen.

KOAT reached out to the Scientology Church in New Mexico got an email back with a link to its website.

The site says the property's purpose is to "create and maintain an archive of Scientology scripture for future generations," and they do that by using "more than 135 tons of archival books, stainless steel plates and nickel-plated records, which in turn, are "stored in 2,300 titanium capsules housed in calamity-proof vaults."

The request for an on-camera interview and tour of the vaults were denied. However, a select group of New Mexicans were invited back in the ‘90s.

“It was pretty impressive. I kept looking at the building thinking it doesn't belong out here,” former San Miguel County Emergency Manager Tim Gallegos said.

He said he was not allowed to bring a camera.

“They had these titanium discs or plates and they would actually etch it on there” Gallegos said.    

He did get to see a part of the vault built right into one of the mountains. 

It appears crews are adding more to the property, including this structure, which looks like the landscape itself. Again people are curious.

http://m.koat.com/news/church-of-scientology-has-vault-hidden-in-new-mexico/39301208