History of Georgetown Red Poppies
Seeds from poppies in Europe were sent to Georgetown right after World War I. Henry Purl Compton (known as “Okra”) who served in the American Expeditionary Forces sent them to his mother. She planted them at her home which is now 507 East 7th Street. From there, they were spread (by birds, bees, and people!) down the river and over much of Old Town.
On April 25, 1990, Georgetown was certified by local residents and the Texas Legislature as the “Red Poppy Capital of Texas.” Red poppies have been a part of Georgetown’s landscape for over 100 years. Red poppies have grown naturally in street and highway right-of-ways, in vacant lots and parks lands, and in native and cultivated areas of our citizen’s yards. We understand that Georgetown is one of the few locations in the United States where red poppies reseed themselves from year to year. Each April as the poppies bloom, Georgetown celebrates with the annual Red Poppy Festival.
Here’s a downloadable map of some of the usually reoccurring red poppy locations in Georgetown: Red Poppy Map.
Contact Us/ More Info
For Red Poppy Festival information, contact: The Georgetown CVB, (800) 436-8696 or cvb@georgetown.org For more information about Georgetown, including lodging and dining, please go to: VisitGeorgetown.com.
