Ben Holladay - Legacy

Legacy

Henry Villard described Holladay as "illiterate, coarse, boastful, false, and cunning." Holladay's attorney, John Doniphan, described him as possessing "many of the characteristics of Napoleon." He was known for having "the bearing of one born to command", and for "being clever, shrewd, cunning, illiterate, coarse, and completely unscrupulous". Joseph Gaston described him as being "wholly destitute of fixed principles of honesty, morality, or common decency." After buying a large home from Doctor Rodney Glisan, "he remodelled it and immediately installed a harem of high class prostitutes."

Holladay and his wife had two daughters who married members of European nobility the Count de Pourtales and Baron Boussiere. Mrs de Pourtales died young leaving their child to be raised by her father Count de Pourtales and her grandparents.

Holladay had a reputation for lavish living. Ophir Hall (named for his Ophir Silver Mine in Virginia City, Nevada — part of the Comstock Lode) is now the defining landmark (now called Reid Hall) of Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. The current structure is based on the footprint of the original house, but the original burned down when the estate was owned by Whitelaw Reid and was then rebuilt as it is now. Two reclining bronze lions attributed to Antonio Canova that once graced his K Street residence in Washington, DC, now guard the main entrance of the Corcoran Gallery. Seaside, Oregon, is named for his elaborate "cottage."

An ordinance came into effect on June 1, 1866 renaming McGaa street in Denver, Colorado to Holladay to honor the tycoon. At the heart of Holladay street was Denver's red light district. Concerned relatives petitioned the city to strip Holladay's name from the street, which had become widely known as 'the most sinful street in the west.' The city passed ordinance on June 1, 1889 renaming Holladay street to Market street, a tongue in cheek reference to the activities that took place there. This brought much concern to the residents on Market in the more respectable areas to the north. In September of 1899, the city changed the name of Market street north of 23rd to Walnut.