Oregon is a state that loves its parks. And indeed, there are some of the grandest, most incredible natural wonders in the Beaver State. But Oregon doesn’t discriminate when it comes to park size. Located in the heart of Downtown Portland, Mill Ends Park is the world’s smallest park, and it’s in Oregon. Let’s take a tiny tour of this pint-sized park:

Mill Ends Park is a teeny, tiny urban park, located in the median strip of SW Naito Parkway in Downtown Portland.

Ian Sane/Flickr

The park is a small circle two feet across, with a total area of 452 square inches. It’s the smallest park in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records.

EncMstr/Wikimedia Commons

The pint-sized park consists of just one little tree. Depending on the time of year, there may be a few colorful flowers, too.

Aimee Wade/Google Local

For scale, this park is no bigger than most dogs.

Bryan Aalberg/Google Local

This diminutive urban park has been a proud part of Portland Parks and Recreation since 1976.

daveynin/Flickr

The park’s story dates back to 1946, when Portlander Dick Fagan returned from World War II to resume his career at the Oregon Journal. His office, on the second floor above Front Street (now Naito Parkway), gave him a view an unused hole in the street’s median, where a light pole was supposed to be placed. But no pole ever arrived. Fagan decided to take matters into his own hands (literally) and planted flowers in the small plot.

Jeff Baxter/Flickr

He was a great groundskeeper, tending to this little garden. Fagan wrote a popular column called “Mill Ends,” which he used to promote his precious Portland park. Fagan billed the space as the “World’s Smallest Park,” and it was dedicated on St. Patrick’s Day in 1948.

Gerald Fullam/Google Local

He continued to write about activities in the park until his death in 1969.

Christian Grand/Google Local Fagan imagined quite a world in this little Lilliputian land, penning countless columns about the lives of a group of leprechauns, who established the “only leprechaun colony west of Ireland” here. The lore continues today; you may discover tiny treasures within this space.

Recently, the Portland Parks Department planted tiny rose bushes at Mill Ends Park, adding to its fairytale charm.

Peggy Bodner/Google Local Mill Ends Park is a delightful reminder to find joy in the little things.

To learn more about Mill Ends Park, visit the Portland Parks and Recreation Department website. Did you know the world’s smallest park was right here in Oregon? Have you visited this little gem before?

Ian Sane/Flickr

EncMstr/Wikimedia Commons

Aimee Wade/Google Local

Bryan Aalberg/Google Local

daveynin/Flickr

Jeff Baxter/Flickr

Gerald Fullam/Google Local

Christian Grand/Google Local

Fagan imagined quite a world in this little Lilliputian land, penning countless columns about the lives of a group of leprechauns, who established the “only leprechaun colony west of Ireland” here. The lore continues today; you may discover tiny treasures within this space.

Peggy Bodner/Google Local

Mill Ends Park is a delightful reminder to find joy in the little things.

For another fairytale park in Oregon, Enchanted Forest near Salem is absolutely magical (and life-sized).

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Address: Mill Ends Park, 56 SW Taylor St, Portland, OR 97204, USA