You're driving down SW Naito Parkway in downtown Portland, Oregon. The Willamette River is to your left, the skyline is to your right, and if you blink at the wrong time, you’ll miss an entire municipal park. It’s sitting right there in the median strip. It is two feet wide.
Honestly, calling it a "park" feels like a bit of a stretch to most outsiders, but for Portlanders, Mill Ends Park Portland is a serious point of civic pride. It’s the smallest park in the world. That isn’t just a local boast; Guinness World Records says so. Since 1971, this tiny circle of dirt—totaling about 452 square inches—has held a title that cities with massive botanical gardens would kill for. It’s weird. It’s small. It is exactly what you expect from a city whose unofficial slogan is about staying weird.
The Weird History of a Hole in the Road
The story doesn't start with a ribbon-cutting ceremony or a landscape architect. It starts with a literal hole in the ground. In 1948, a hole was dug for a light pole in the median of what was then Front Avenue. The pole never arrived. Weeds started growing.
Dick Fagan, a columnist for the Oregon Journal, looked out his office window and saw this neglected patch of dirt. Instead of complaining to the city, he started planting flowers. Fagan was a guy with a sharp wit and a penchant for the fantastical. He began writing about the "park" in his column, "Mill Ends," which was named after the leftover scraps of wood from lumber mills.
He didn't stop at just planting marigolds. Fagan spun a whole mythology around the place. He claimed it was the world’s only "leprechaun colony" west of Ireland. He even claimed to have caught the head leprechaun, Patrick O'Toole, who granted him a wish for a park. According to Fagan’s legend, he wished for a park of his own, but since he didn't specify the size, O'Toole gave him the hole.
From Column Gimmick to Official City Status
It stayed a column gimmick for years. But Fagan died of cancer in 1969, and the community didn't want the joke to die with him. People kept tending the tiny plot. On St. Patrick’s Day in 1976, the city officially designated it a city park.
It’s seen some things. Over the decades, Mill Ends has hosted a swimming pool for butterflies (complete with a diving board), a miniature Ferris wheel (brought in by a full-sized crane), and several tiny statues. It’s been the site of countless St. Patrick’s Day celebrations where people in green hats stand awkwardly in the middle of a busy thoroughfare just to say they visited.
What You’ll Actually See at Mill Ends Park Portland
If you go there today, don't expect a bench. You can’t sit down. There are no swings.
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What you will find is a tiny circle of mulch and whatever the current "installation" happens to be. Sometimes it's a single, lonely Douglas fir sapling. Other times, local pranksters or fans of the park will leave tiny plastic figurines, miniature benches, or even small protest signs. It’s a dynamic space.
It’s located at the intersection of SW Naito Parkway and SW Taylor Street.
The Great Relocation of 2021
Wait, did the park move? Sorta. In 2021, the city did a massive "Better Naito Forever" construction project. They needed to redesign the road to make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians. This meant the original site of Mill Ends had to be shifted.
The city didn't just pave over it. They carefully moved the park six inches from its original location. It was a whole thing. They even had a "re-dedication" ceremony. The new spot is still in the median, but it's now permanent and protected by a more defined concrete curb so drivers stop accidentally running over the world's smallest park.
Dealing with the Critics (Yes, Small Parks Have Haters)
Not everyone thinks Mill Ends deserves the crown.
There’s a park in Lichfield, UK, called Prince's Park. For a while, the UK folks claimed they had the smallest park because it has a fence and a bench. They argued that a "park" needs boundaries and amenities. Portlanders, naturally, found this hilarious and insulting.
The Guinness World Records folks eventually stepped in and reaffirmed Portland's status. The criteria for a park are surprisingly loose, and being a dedicated city lot is basically the gold standard. Mill Ends won. Sorry, England.
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The Logistics of Visiting
You’ve gotta be careful. Naito Parkway is a busy road.
- Parking: Do not try to park next to the park. Park a few blocks away in a garage or use a meter on a side street like SW Salmon or SW Main.
- Safety: You have to cross the street to get to the median. Use the crosswalk at Taylor Street. Don't be that tourist who darts through three lanes of traffic for a selfie with a leprechaun hole.
- Timing: Go during the day. At night, it just looks like a pile of dirt in the road.
Honestly, the best way to see it is as part of a larger walk along the Tom McCall Waterfront Park. You can walk the waterfront, see the Japanese American Historical Plaza, and then hop across the street to see Mill Ends. It takes about 30 seconds to "see" the park, but it stays with you.
Why This Matters (Beyond the Instagram Photo)
It’s easy to be cynical. You could say it’s just a glorified planter.
But Mill Ends Park Portland represents a specific kind of urban soul. It’s about the fact that a journalist’s silly column could turn into a permanent part of the city’s geography. It’s about the city government being "in on the joke" enough to actually pass legislation to protect a two-foot circle of dirt.
In a world where every city is starting to look the same—with the same glass towers and the same coffee chains—these weird little quirks are what actually define a place.
Is it really a "colony"?
The leprechaun thing is still a big part of the lore. Fagan used to "interview" Patrick O'Toole in his columns. The leprechaun supposedly complained about the city’s 11:00 PM curfew for parks, arguing that leprechauns should be allowed to stay out later. To this day, people still leave "offerings" like pennies or tiny toys for the residents. Whether you believe in the Irish folk or just the power of a good story, the park serves as a tiny monument to imagination.
Actionable Tips for Your Visit
Don't just stare at it and walk away. If you want the full experience, follow these steps.
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Check the Current "Decor"
The park's contents change constantly. Sometimes there is a miniature "Black Lives Matter" sign; other times, it’s a tiny dinosaur. Check the #MillEndsPark tag on social media before you go to see what the current "theme" is.
Combine it with the Waterfront
Since you’re already there, walk the three-mile loop of the waterfront. Cross the Tilikum Crossing bridge and come back. It’s one of the best ways to see Portland.
Bring a Miniature
If you want to participate in the tradition, bring something tiny to leave behind. A small stone, a toy soldier, or a miniature flag. Just make sure it’s nothing that will blow away and become litter.
The Photo Op
To get the best photo, you need to get low. If you take a photo from standing height, it just looks like a hole. Kneel down (watch for traffic!) and get a "worm's eye view" to make the park look like a majestic forest.
Visit on St. Patrick’s Day
If you happen to be in Portland in March, this is the place to be. There’s usually a bagpiper, some folks in green, and a lot of very confused tourists wondering why everyone is cheering at a patch of grass.
Mill Ends Park Portland isn't going to change your life. It’s not the Grand Canyon. But it is a reminder that even the smallest, most forgotten spaces can become legendary if someone cares enough to plant a flower and tell a story.