Mill Ends Park

Mill Ends Park is a tiny patch of greenery in the road median at SW Naito Parkway and SW Taylor Street in downtown Portland. At about two feet across, it is a quick stop for a photo and a look at one of the city’s quirkiest landmarks. Oregon Journal columnist Dick Fagan started it in 1948 by planting flowers in a spot intended for a lamppost. It was once listed as the world’s smallest park, though that record went to a park in Japan in 2025. Pair your visit with a walk along the nearby waterfront.

A garden in a lamppost site

Mill Ends Park began in 1948, when a patch of ground meant for a lamppost remained empty. Dick Fagan, a columnist at the Oregon Journal, could see the spot from his office. He planted flowers there and named the small plot after his column, Mill Ends, a reference to leftover pieces of wood from lumber mills.

Fagan also spun a story about a leprechaun colony living in the plot. The tale became part of the park’s character, but its real beginning was simple: an unused hole, a few flowers and a writer’s view of the street below.

A tiny stop downtown

The circular park is about two feet across and sits in the median of SW Naito Parkway at SW Taylor Street, near the Willamette River waterfront. There is little room to linger, so treat it as a brief look and photo stop, then continue toward the larger waterfront park across the street.

Mill Ends Park was once recognized as the world’s smallest park. That record passed to a park in Nagaizumi, Japan, in February 2025. Its scale and history still make it an unusual point of interest in downtown Portland. Take care crossing the road to reach it.