Athens, Texas…Home of the Hamburger???

Although named after Athens, Greece, I do not believe that I saw anything in Athens, Texas that left me feeling transported to a far-off land, drenched in history and legends. I did however step back in time when I entered into an old 1960s home that has been repurposed as an eclectic little coffee shop with a bronze sculpture of a big hamburger sitting on the table.

Athens, Texas has it’s own legend as “Home of the Hamburger”, and hosts the annual Uncle Fletch Hamburger Festival to celebrate the achievement. According to documented Athens history, Fletcher Short Davis was a potter by trade, but when the pottery business slowed down, he opened a lunch counter in the town square, serving what later became known as the hamburger - a ground beef patty between two slices of home-baked bread, garnished with a mixture of mustard and mayo, a slice of onion and pickles.

In 1904, Uncle Fletch and his wife, Aunt Ciddy (Recilla Allison), went to the St. Louis World’s Fair, rented a house in Webster Grove, Missouri, near where Fletcher had grown up, and became a World’s Fair vendor of his new sandwich, the hamburger. It’s a nice story, but who really knows?

In addition to being home of the first hamburger, Athens, Texas also claims to be the “Black-Eyed Pea Capital of the World.” Just like Hawkins, Texas, claiming to be the “Pancake Capital of the World”, I have my doubts about the validity of the claims, but one thing is true, it is a certified retirement community. Everything seemed to be moving at a slower pace.

There are a plethora of Mexican restaurants, and I had a late lunch of queso blanco and street tacos, before going to seek out my normal places: art galleries and coffee shops.

Art Gallery 211 was preceded by murals of wildflowers and the interior was just as colorful. The not-for-profit artist cooperative displayed art of several mediums and various levels of skill. Over 40 artists are regularly housed in the gallery, with many workshops, classes and juried art shows being offered. You never know - you may see some of my pieces in Gallery 211 during their next show.

And then of course, there was the coffee shop I touched on previously - Callaway’s Coffee and Bistro. Visiting this cafe literally felt like stepping into a grandmother’s home…comfy, a little worn out, and welcoming. Nothing matched and everything was kind of smooshed together tightly, but it didn’t matter. The coffee was hot, tasty and plentiful.

Did I leave anything in Athens? No. But will I be back? Yes! There’s a brewery that I need to see what all the fuss is about.