Home of the Hamburger

Seymour, Wisconsin, stakes its claim to fame based on the accomplishments of Charlie Nagreen. In 1885, at the age of fifteen, Nagreen came to the Seymour Outagamie County Fair in an ox-drawn wagon and set up his food stand selling meatballs.

Nagreen soon learned that his meatballs were of little value to his customers, simply because they were difficult to eat while trying to enjoy the fair. So Nagreen flattened the beef and placed it between two slices of bread, calling it a hamburger.

His idea was a success and soon he was known to many as "Hamburger Charlie". Charlie returned to the fair every year until his death in 1951.

As a tribute to Charlie Nagreen and the legacy he left behind, the community of Seymour invites you to visit our Hamburger Hall of Fame.

Located within one-half hour of green bay or the Fox cities, the Hamburger Hall of Fame promises to be of great interest to young and old alike. The Hall of Fame houses artifacts, paraphernalia, records and books relating to the history of the hamburger.

Jeffrey Tennyson, the author of "Hamburger Heaven" has been collecting hamburger memorabilia over a 20 year period and has chosen Seymour's Hamburger Hall of fame to display his extensive collection.

Also on display is the grill which cooked the world's Largest Hamburger at Seymour's 1989 burger was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records at 5,520 lbs. and enjoyed by over 13,000 visitors. Burger Fest is held on the first Saturday in august each year.

Hamburger Hall of Fame

The Hamburger Hall of Fame is open Friday, Saturday and Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 4:00 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day. Tours are available by appointment. Numerous souvenirs are also available.

While in Seymour, be sure to tour the Seymour Community Museum and Railroad Museum, located within walking distance of the Hamburger Hall of Fame.

Plan to attend the annual Burger Fest on the first Saturday of August. Stop at one of the local restaurants for breakfast and take in the giant parade. Enjoy live music, kids' entertainment, the famous Hamburger Meet and great hamburgers.

How It All Began

Fifteen year old Charles R. Nagreen, better known as Charlie, was an enterprising young fellow. Not satisfied with the usual occupations common in rural America in 1885, he was determined to be a businessman. Equipping himself with a yoke of oxen, wagon, stove and utensils, as well as a load of lumber, he journeyed to the first Outagamie County Fair, held in Seymour, Wisconsin, in October.

There he built a food stand and began hawking his specialty. Charlie soon noticed that the crowd at the fair wanted to keep moving. They were hungry, but they didn't want to stop to eat. He knew his meatballs were good, fried in butter and smothered in onions, but they had to be made portable. he decided to flatten them out and place them between two pieces of bread, and thus the hamburger, as we know it, was born.

Charlie, a native of Hortonville, Wisconsin, gradually added other area country fairs to his summer circuit, but always maintained that Seymour was his first fair and the first at which he served a portable hamburger.

Charlie, known most of his adult life as Hamburger Charlie, worked the fairs from 1885 until 1950. He died in 1951 at the age of 81.

At The Celebration...

The day begins early with the "Bun Run" which is a 10K Run and a 2 Mile Walk/Run. There are several different running divisions to accommodate everyone. Medals for first, second and third place winners and ribbons for fourth and fifth places are given in all divisions.

A Hamburger Breakfast Buffet is served in the morning.

Mid-morning the World's Largest Hamburger Parade takes place. This parade draws on an average of 200 units yearly.

After the parade, activities begin at the fairgrounds. Every year, new and different activities are provided like:

• Family Entertainment including: magician, games for the kids, dunk tank, remote car racing, games of skill, tumbling troupe and others.
• Kids Big Wheel Races and Pedal Tractor Pull.
• International Hamburger Meet featuring the "Ketchup Slide" and "Bun Toss".
• Live music all afternoon and early evening.
• Water fights featuring area Fire Departments.
• Fine arts and crafts show.
• Cooking and serving of the giant hamburger.
• Food and beverages -- hamburgers -- hamburgers -- hamburgers.

Home Of The Hamburger Celebrations...

1989 - Seymour celebrated its first annual Hamburger Day on August 5, 1989. world-wide publicity accompanied Seymour's claim to be the "Home of the Hamburger". Plans to cook the world's largest hamburger drew an estimated crowd of 25, 000 people. The 5520 pound hamburger was served to 13,500 eager eaters in about two hours. The giant hamburger established a Guinness Book World Record.

1990 - Special character costumes were created to represent "Bunard" and "Patti". They were married before a large grandstand audience with wedding attendants Oscar Onion, Peter Pickle, Kenny Ketchup, Charlene Cheese, Missy Mustard and Susie Sauerkraut. A free "Mile-O-Burgers" was served to a group of people lined up and down the middle of Main Street.

1991 - A 1500 lb. cheeseburger was prepared on the Charlie Grill.

1992 - A contest was announced to select names for the forthcoming twins that Pattie and Bunard were expecting. Winning names were Barbie Q and Chuckie Weldon. The twins' birth took place before the grandstand. 10,000 baby burgers were served.

1993 - This year's theme was "Hamburger Heaven". The Home of the Hamburger Museum was opened with thousands of artifacts displayed from author Jeffrey Tennyson's collection.

1994 - "A World of Burgers" featured burgers from around the world.

1989 - The "All American Burger" was honored.

1996 - The theme was "Burgers Out Of This World".

1997 - "Happy Days Again" with a 50's theme.

Goals Are Set...

The home of the Hamburger Corporation in 1989 set the following goals:.

1. To preserve the memory of Charles Nagreen, aka "Hamburger Charlie", who invented the modern day hamburger at the first fair in Seymour, Wi, in 1885.
2. To prepare and serve the world's largest hamburger on August 5, 1989.
3. To hold an annual Hamburger Cook-Off with amateur, professional and celebrity chefs competing for the title of the World's Best Hamburger Cook.
4. To build and operate the World Hamburger Hall of Fame. This national indoor tourist attraction will be geared for the entertainment and pleasure of young and old alike. Hands-on, interactive games for children will be featured along with the World Hamburger Museum and displays and amusements by the major hamburger chains and related product vendors. An 80-acre site is available with city services for the necessary building and parking area.

The above mentioned goals were not just plucked out of the air. The facts support Seymour's claim of being the "Home of the World's First Hamburger". And the Hamburger Committee has recognized that promoting this historical event will be of value in several ways, helping to establish Community Pride, Economic Development and CommUNITY.

Other Notables...

• Seymour was selected as the official "Home of the Hamburger" in a national telephone poll done by White Castle, the nation's oldest hamburger chain. Seymour received the most votes, soundly defeating Hamburg, NY, and Athens, TX.
• In August 1992, all of the costumed people appeared on the CBS morning show singing "Oh What A Beautiful Morning".
• Jeffrey Tennyson, author of the book, "Hamburger Heaven" was the honored guest for the 1993 festivities and grand opening of the Hamburger Hall of Fame.
• In 1995 Families with names relating to Hamburger were invited --Burger, Onions, etc.
• Hamburger Hall of Fame Open Memorial Day through Labor Day Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunday 12 p.m.- 4 p.m.
• Celebration is held the first Saturday of August each year.

For More Information...

Call or Write: Seymour Home of the Hamburger P.O. Box 173 Seymour, Wi. 54165 (414) 833-9522