Bite into History in Athens, Texas

In this quirky East Texas town, you’ll find unexpected history, underwater adventures, and a festival that’s anything but ordinary.

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An East Texas town with a very Greek name, Athens is the birthplace of an American icon known around the world: the hamburger.  As the story goes, sometime in the 1880s, “Uncle” Fletcher Davis began serving ground beef on Texas toast at a café on Athens’ courthouse square (there’s a historical plaque there today). Locals loved the new sandwich, so Davis took it to the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. 

The crowd there loved it too …for the most part. For German immigrants, it recalled the unsophisticated dining customs of some of their countryfolk, who gobbled down large amounts of beef by the handful, both cooked and raw. It was a common practice around the German city of Hamburg — so they called the sandwich a hamburger. One can imagine their chuckles of derision at the barbaric new burger … and their surprise years later when it became one of the most popular foods on the planet. 

Like almost every famous dish, the burger’s origin story is disputed. But the Texas State Legislature and McDonald’s Hamburger University have both put their stamp of approval on Athens. You can celebrate the burger in its Texas birthplace every September at Uncle Fletcher’s Burger Fest, a cookoff extravaganza with turtle races and a mooing competition. It’s part of the multiday Black-Eyed Pea Jamboree; Athens also claims the title of Black-Eyed Pea Capital of the World. 

Texas settlers found the landscape’s fertile, rolling hills ideal for growing peas, corn, tomatoes, and cotton. Ducks and deer liked the area too. Dallas elites made it their favorite hunting ground, an easy 80-minute drive for a weekend getaway. After Lake Athens reservoir was completed in 1963 and stocked with largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, and sunfish, it became a prime fishing and boating destination. Today, it’s not uncommon for fishers to pull trophy-size bass from the lake. 

Ponder the underwater world at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, which is on track to reopen this June after an $8 million renovation and upgrade. The facility has long enchanted visitors with 300,000 gallons of aquariums filled with dozens of species like giant catfish and alligator gar. After the reopening, you can expect several new large aquariums along with an updated visitors center and fishing ponds. Take a tram ride over the largemouth bass hatchery and watch a dramatic scuba show in the revamped dive theater. 

Explore Athens

Savor: Now that you’re hungry for a hamburger, head to Athens Brewing Co. on the courthouse square. Go classic with cheddar cheese or get flashy with pork belly and onion jam. Microbrews include a mango sour and a citrusy Belgian-style beer called Final Zestination. Also on the square is Freelancers Café, a gaming cyber-lounge with a robotic barista. Cherry Laurel Bakery has been a comfort food favorite for breakfast and lunch since opening in 1990. Cakes are its specialty, so save room for a slice of strawberry or its signature butter-rum. Outside of town, three wineries host tastings and various culinary events: Castle Oaks Winery, 3 P’s in a Vine, and Tara Vineyard & Winery (be sure to check the hours before you go).

Shop: Athens Farmers Market pops up every Saturday and Wednesday morning from mid-April through November. Local pride is on full display, with more than two dozen farmers and craftspeople selling shiny blackberries and just-picked vegetables. Pick up a bottle of cherry chocolate salsa from Jose Madrid or some maple syrup from Sticky Pete. Eclectic Atticus & Co. boutique is loaded with Texas-made gifts for men and women, such as leather goods from San Antonio’s Mission Mercantile and outdoor gear from Howler Brothers in Austin. Next door, 211 Gallery showcases 40 artists’ creations in painting and photography.

Enjoy: In addition to the Black-Eyed Pea Jamboree/Uncle Fletcher’s Burger Fest, big events include the Juneteenth Black Rodeo every summer and the Old Fiddlers Contest & Reunion in spring, which has been around for almost a century. Catch tribute bands and musical bingo at the Texan, a converted 1948 movie theater with barbecue lunches on Fridays. Get a dose of nature on Lake Athens and in the gardens of the East Texas Arboretum — or an adrenaline rush at Athens Motocross Park and New York Texas Zipline Adventures (in the nearby town of New York, Texas). Animal lovers may want to see Black Beauty Ranch, a world-renowned animal sanctuary for hundreds of rescued critters, domestic and exotic. The nonprofit offers public tours once or twice a month (check Facebook for the current schedule) and also arranges private visits.

Snooze: Stay in a historic 1880s mansion amid rows of Blanc Du Bois grapes at Tara Vineyard & Winery. Four B&B-style rooms evoke Old World elegance and have perks like gas fireplaces and jacuzzi tubs. There’s also a separate cottage and cabin, and the restaurant receives top marks. For something funkier, try the tiny luxury cabins and geodesic domes at Selah Place. The charming hideaways are nestled on wooded land and come equipped with king-size beds and kitchenettes.

How to Get There: Drive south out of Fort Worth on Highway 287 for 60 miles until it merges with Interstate 45 just past Ennis. Continue on I-45 S for 16 miles to Corsicana, then take Exit 231 for TX-31 E toward Waco/Athens. Turn left on TX-31/Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and drive for 32 miles to Athens. The trip takes about two hours with no traffic.