At this site, 24-year-old James Neilson built in 1880 a small brick general store a mile east of Brinton’s Corner at Murray-Holladay Rd. and Highland Dr., the community’s early commercial center. The Neilson store flourished, accepting cash or trade in commodities and making deliveries to outlying customers. Soon called Neilson’s Corner, the locale was Holladay’s business center for half a century, partly because most residents then lived on the eastern side.

In 1890 Jim built a 2-story brick building at the intersections southeast corner, one of the largest business buildings in rural Utah at the time. Located in that store for a while was the community post office. The Neilson family band played in the upper story, using it as a dance hall until 1904. Jim reputedly had Holladay’s first radio, auto, electric lights, water line, and sidewalk (leading from his store southward to Spring Creek), and he ran the passenger transport line from Salt Lake to Brighton. The second store became a theater in the 1930s, burning in 1937 and ending 57 years of Neilson buildings that made this locale a Holladay focal point.

This plaque is #6 of the Historical Walking Tour of Holladay on this page. It is located at 4678 Holladay Blvd in Holladay, Utah.