Charlie Nagreen

Charles "Hamburger Charlie" Nagreen (1870-1951) was an American claimant to the title of inventor of the hamburger.[1]

Hamburger Charlie Statue
Plaque showing Charlie’s chant on Hamburger Charlie statue in Seymour, Wisconsin.
Plaque showing The Charlie Burger on Hamburger Charlie statue in Seymour, Wisconsin.

Career

Born in Hortonville, Wisconsin, at 15 Nagreen was a vendor at the 1885 Seymour Fair.[2] After not experiencing success selling meatballs, he had an idea.[2][3] Knowing that the visitors to the fair would be hungry after gazing at the exhibits but wouldn't be able to walk and eat, he smashed a meatball and placed it between two slices of bread.[2] His idea was a success and he returned every year until his death in 1951.[2]

Controversy

The name of the Hamburger came from the idea of "Hamburg steak", or ground beef.[2] Since this was a popular item in Seymour at the time of the 1885 fair, Nagreen decided to call the sandwich the "Hamburger".[2] This claim is supported by various local history organizations,[4] but not widely accepted; see History of the hamburger in the United States.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.seymourhistory.org/news/?id=35
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Heuer, Myron (1999-10-12). "The real home of the hamburger". Herald & Journal. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
  3. ↑ http://www.seymour-pd.com/hamburger.html
  4. ↑ e.g. Home of the Hamburger, Seymour, Wisconsin

External links

Charles Nagreen at Find a Grave.


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