The Portland Secrets That Sound Made Up (But Aren't)

Portland, Oregon has a reputation — bikes, coffee, rain, and a whole lot of “keep it weird” energy. But scratch beneath the surface of the City of Roses and you’ll find some genuinely surprising history. Here are three things that tend to catch even longtime Portlanders off guard.

1. Portland Was One Coin Flip Away From Being Named “Boston”

Back in 1845, two New England transplants — Asa Lovejoy of Boston and Francis Pettygrove of Portland, Maine — owned the land that would become downtown Portland. Neither one would budge on what to call it, so they settled it the old-fashioned way: a coin toss. Pettygrove won, and the city got its name from Maine instead of Massachusetts. The actual coin used in that flip, known as the Portland Penny, still exists today and is on display at the Oregon Historical Society downtown — a two-cent decision that shaped an entire city’s identity.

2. There’s a Volcano Inside City Limits

Mount Tabor, the beloved East Portland park known for its walking paths and skyline views, isn’t just a hill — it’s an extinct volcanic cinder cone. It’s one of the very few volcanoes located within the boundaries of a major U.S. city. Don’t worry: geologists consider it long dormant, and its biggest current threat to the neighborhood is a crowded parking lot on a sunny weekend. Still, it’s a fun bit of trivia to drop next time you’re picnicking at the summit.

3. The World’s Smallest Park Started as a Mistake

Tucked into a median on SW Naito Parkway sits Mill Ends Park — a patch of green just two feet across, officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the smallest park on the planet. It was never meant to be a park at all. The spot was originally prepped for a light pole in 1948 that never got installed. Weeds moved in, and a local newspaper columnist whose office overlooked the empty circle eventually planted flowers there instead, naming it after his column. The city made it official in 1976, and it remains one of Portland’s most charming little oddities — proof that even an unplanned two feet of dirt can become a local landmark. Portland is full of stories like these — a city shaped as much by accident and eccentricity as by design. It’s part of what makes it such a distinctive place to call home.