Farnville: The Smallest Park in the World

Mill Ends Park was dedicated on March 17, 1948, and officially became a city park on the same day in 1976.

What’s most remarkable about this park is the story of its origin, oh, and it’s paltry size. Mill Ends covers an area of 452 square inches, about 2 feet square. Mill Ends Park is the smallest park in the world.

Oregon Journal columnist Dick Fagan wrote a popular column called Mill Ends, covering whatever whimsy he came up with. In 1946, from his office window overlooking Front Avenue (now Naito Parkway), he spotted a 2 square foot hole in a raised bit of concrete in the median. A light pole was, presumably, intended for the spot, but was never installed. Fagan invented stories of leprechaun exploits in the tiny “park.”

One story, described in the Oregon Encyclopedia entry for Mill Ends, addresses the park’s origin:

One day, as Fagan told the story, he looked out his window and saw a leprechaun digging in the hole. Fagan ran downstairs, dashed across the street, and caught the leprechaun. According to Irish lore, if you catch a leprechaun, he has to grant you a wish. Fagan wished for his own park, but he never specified where or how big the park should be. The leprechaun granted his wish and gave Fagan the hole in the traffic median as his own personal park. Fagan named the spot after his column.

Today was the first sunny day in a LONG time. I knew I had to get out in the sun if I am to survive another week of rain. Mill Ends park has been on my list of places to visit, but I haven't been able to convince anyone to go with me. Caleb agreed to go to Portland with me after I threw in a trip to Powell's books and lunch at Noodles and Co. I probably played up the "park" a little too much because Caleb was expecting tiny playground equipment and who knows what else. Can you see the disappointment in his face? On a high note he claimed he saw Mark Zuckerberg. Then again he thought he saw Jake Gylenhall at Walmart last week "for reals."