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Demolition of historic mansion in Holladay sparks debate on Utah history, preservation

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Posted at 4:13 PM, Dec 27, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-28 00:24:56-05

HOLLADAY, Utah — An extravagant Holladay mansion with more than 120 years of history has been razed by the eccentric son of a Utah billionaire, The Salt Lake Tribune reported Friday.

The grand villa, called “Glenwood,” was first built in 1895 by Matthew Walker, one of four brothers who came to Utah as Mormon pioneers and quickly rose to prominence as businessmen and bankers.

The Walker Center in downtown Salt Lake City still bears the family’s name. The brothers lived in mansions along Main Street in the capital city, but Matthew Walker built Glenwood as his summer retreat.

READ: Utah woman dives into and shares findings from SLC's rich history

Preservation Utah created an Instagram post Dec. 23, sharing news of Glenwood’s demolition and paying tribute to Glenn Walker Wallace, the daughter of Matthew Walker and Glenwood’s most famous resident.

The Salt Lake County assessor listed the main residence, located at 2520 E. Walker Lane, as having seven bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. The property includes more than 10 acres and was most recently assessed at $9.8 million, down from $11.6 million in 2016.

The property is owned by Brilliant Miller (formerly Bryan) and his wife Heather Miller. Brilliant Miller is a son of the late billionaire Larry H. Miller and Gail Miller.

The post from Preservation Utah garnered a response from Heather Miller, rebutting many of the post’s claims and those of commenters.

“It was heartbreaking for us to discover, after purchasing the property, the home was not structurally sound. This became very apparent after the earthquake earlier this year," she wrote in part.

Click here to read the full report. FOX 13 is a content-sharing partner with The Salt Lake Tribune.