Southwest Portland in Multnomah County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)

Mill Ends Park

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, June 26, 2026

1. Mill Ends Park Marker

Inscription. From his office on the second floor of the old Oregon Journal building, journalist Dick Fagen (1911–1969) periodically gazed down on the busy Front Avenue thoroughfare. It was his keen imagination that turned a utility pole hole, in the avenue’s median strip at Taylor Street, into “Mill Ends Park.” The Guinness Book of World Records lists it as the world’s smallest Park. It is twenty-four inches in diameter, and contains 452.16 square inches of land. In his “Mill Ends” column in the Oregon Journal, Fagen described a variety of events occurring in the Park, which were presided over by Patrick O’Toole, head Leprechaun residing in the Park. Weddings and other celebrations have taken place at Mill Ends, and on St. Patrick’s Day, 1976, the site was dedicated as an official Park of the City of Portland.

This marker stands thirty-eight feet west of Mill Ends Park.

Given by: The Friends of Dick Fagen, and the True Believers in Patrick O’Toole.

(Captions)
Journal Building (formerly Portland Public Market) 1933–1969. Photo courtesy of City of Portland.
Photo courtesy of Oregon Journal.

Erected by The Friends of Dick Fagen, and the

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True Believers in Patrick O’Toole.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Places • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1948.

Location. 45° 30.976′ N, 122° 40.403′ W. Marker is in Portland, Oregon, in Multnomah County. It is in Southwest Portland. It can be reached from the intersection of Southwest Naito Parkway and Southwest Taylor Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 833 SW Naito Parkway, Portland OR 97204, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge

and in the Willamette Valley.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: May 19, 1980 (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); First Issue of The Oregonian (about

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, June 26, 2026

2. Mill Ends Park Marker

As promised, the marker lies just west of the diminutive park.

500 feet away); December 4, 1850 (about 500 feet away); July 21, 1969 (about 600 feet away); November 11, 1918 (about 600 feet away); November 23, 1963 (about 600 feet away); August 15, 1945 (about 600 feet away); Centennial Block, 1878 (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portland.

Also see . . . Mill Ends Park (City of Portland).

Fagan wrote a popular column called Mill Ends (rough, irregular pieces of lumber left over at lumber mills). He used this column to describe the park and the various "events" that occurred there. Fagan billed the space as the "World's Smallest Park." The park was dedicated on St. Patrick's Day in 1948 since Fagan was a good Irishman. He continued to write about activities in the park until he died in 1969. Many of his columns described the lives of a group of leprechauns, who established the "only leprechaun colony west of Ireland" in the park. Fagan claimed to be the only person who could see the head leprechaun, Patrick O'Toole. After Mill Ends officially became a city park on St. Patrick’s Day in 1976, the park continued to be the site of St. Patrick's Day festivities.

Over
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, June 26, 2026

3. Mill Ends Park
In 2018, a tiny park sign was installed to complement the space.
the years, contributions have been made to the park, such as a small swimming pool and diving board for butterflies, many statues, a miniature Ferris wheel (which was brought in by a normal-sized crane), and the occasional flying saucer.

(Submitted on September 1, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.)

Mill Ends Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, June 26, 2026

4. Mill Ends Park

Setting foot in the world's smallest park. (To scale)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 12 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 1, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.