First Hamburger Sandwich - Athens, TX
Posted by: 
QuesterMark
N 32° 12.329 W 095° 51.255
15S E 230955 N 3566785
The town of Athens, TX claims to be where the hamburger sandwich was invented. There's an historical marker on the old First National Bank building, across the street from the courthouse square.
Waymark Code: WM7MKB
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 11/09/2009
Views: 9
The sign itself says,
On this site in the late 1880's, cafe owner Fletcher (old Dave) Davis (1864-1944) innovated and made the first hamburger sandwich. Encouraged by Athens' enthusiasts, he introduced the sandwich at the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair. Dave's nephew, Kindree Miller, Sr., Clint Murchison, Jr. and the files of McDonald's Hamburger University helped Frank Tolbert in research for this memorial.
Wikipedia's article points out, The Texas historian Frank X. Tolbert attributes the invention to Fletcher Davis of Athens, Texas. Davis is believed to have sold hamburgers at an Athens lunch counter in the late 1880s, then brought them to the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. and it cites a Texas Monthly article as well as the Atlas of Popular Culture Northeastern United States by John E. Harmon (although the Atlas cites three other origins as well). See the link below for more.
Group that erected the marker: Athens Chamber of Commerce, 1984-01-28
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
100-198 W. Tyler St.
Athens, TX United States
75751
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