Charlie Nagreen  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to:
navigation, search  Charles "Hamburger Charlie" Nagreen
(1870-1951) was an American claimant to the title of inventor of
the hamburger.[1]  This claim is supported by various local
history organizations,[2] but not widely accepted; see History
of the hamburger in the United States.  Born in Hortonville,
Wisconsin, at 15 Nagreen was a vendor at the 1885 Seymour
Fair.[3] After not experiencing success selling meatballs, he
had an idea.[3][4] 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.[3] His idea was a success and he returned every
year until his death in 1951.[3]  The name of the Hamburger came
from the idea of "Hamburg steak", or ground beef.[3] Since this
was a popular item in Seymour at the time of the 1885 fair,
Nagreen decided to call the sandwich the "Hamburger".[3]
Hamburger Charlie Statue Plaque sh