Remembering Richard William Fagan and the World’s Smallest Park

"Dick got the idea for the park after spying an empty spot in the concrete road divider from his window at the Newspaper building.
Mill Ends Park consisted of a single rose bush, a little wire fence, and a small wooden marker that said: 'Mill Ends Park.'"

November 20, 1969

On this day, Oregon Journal columnist and gardener Richard William Fagan died.

Dick installed the world's smallest rose park - Mill Ends Park - in Portland on February 23, 1954. The installation coincided with Portlandand's Rose Planting Week.

Mill Ends Park was just an empty lamppost hole on a cement divider on the street at the intersection of SW 1st and Taylor St.

Mill Ends Park is 18 inches in diameter and was named after Dick's column, which was also called Mill Ends.

The name originated from Dick's passion for collecting little brevities and news items about the Pacific Northwest sawmills - thus, Mill Ends.

Dick was known as the man with his finger on the pulse of the area.

The mayor of Portland once commented,

"I don't know why you invited me to talk on city affairs. Dick Fagan can tell you more."

The year Dick installed Mill Ends Park, the city of Columbus, Ohio claimed the title of "The Rose City" - an honor held by Portland for over 50 years.

Portland gardeners were incensed and began planting roses all around the city.

Dick got the idea for the park after spying an empty spot in the concrete road divider from his window at the Newspaper building.

Mill Ends Park consisted of a single rose bush, a little wire fence, and a small wooden marker that said: "Mill Ends Park."