04/21/2026
A little about our poppy history…
“Poppies of the Miami and surrounding areas originated in the Claypool, Arizona area, just a mile and a half east of the Miami town limits.
Mrs. Daisy Claypool, who was born July 27, 1878, was the first teacher hired at George Washington School, now a semi-truck waiting area.
A generational story was that
Mrs. Claypool, who loved to garden, spread poppy seeds between her house in Claypool to George Washington School in Lower Miami during her walks to work. Mother nature also had a part in spreading the poppy seeds throughout the region, too.
The blooming of poppies became, and still is today, a much-anticipated event in the Claypool and surrounding areas. The best time of the year to see the beautiful blooms is in April.—-“ Town of Miami
Mrs. Claypool was married to Senator Claypool & although we have some history about him, much of her story is more subtle….
🌼Except for the flowers that she seeded over a century ago & that we have come to celebrate every spring.
➡️ we know there are many more poppy seeding stories in our area, we’d love to hear yours!!
📸: photos below are from the Rod Plant poppies of Freeport McMoRan, an excerpt from Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum (courtesy of Lee Ann Powers, archivist extraordinaire), & from the mural in downtown Miami
Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce
