Is it true that the Stanfords tried to donate enough money to an Ivy League college to build a building with their son's name on it but were turned down so they started Stanford?

Yes, it's true that Leland and Jane Stanford attempted to donate money to an Ivy League institution, specifically Harvard University, to establish a building in memory of their son, Leland Stanford Jr. However, they were turned down due to the university's refusal to create a separate school of agriculture. Disappointed, the Stanfords decided to use their resources to establish their own university, which became Stanford University in 1885.