It’s exciting to hear “I remember when I was little, my dad would bring me to town and we would eat an onion hamburger sitting on these old counter stools.”  Others like Abe Shadid, former Mangum resident, remember when “old man Davis sold 6 burgers for 25 cents.”  The Hamburger Inn has a lot of memories for a lot of folks.

In early 2003, a gentleman came into the HBI (Hamburger Inn) and introduced himself as the great nephew of Homer Davis.  Mr. Davis built the Hamburger Inn in late 1927.  Some people say it was 1928 and the utility records show it was February 1929.  What’s a year or two when you are talking history greater than 75 years – memories fade and years melt together?

So the history goes – Homer Davis was a farmer from Kansas, who raised wheat, cotton, cattle and rabbits.  His only daughter Hazel married Bufford Cannon.  Bufford worked at the original “White Castle” hamburger joint in Kansas.  At that time burgers were square with holes in the middle.  In Chicago, the holes in the middle were filled with onions and people called them “sliders.”

Times were tough and Bufford sold Homer on the idea of starting the Hamburger Inn.  Homer wanted to homestead in Mangum, so he loaded everyone up and moved to Mangum to establish the original Hamburger Inn.  Conveniently, Homer and his family were able to live very close to the Hamburger Inn.  The Davis’ lived right next door in the “Conoco Station.”

There is a small plaque on the front of the totally concrete building indicating Portacon Buildings out of Tulsa, OK, manufactured the building.  Allegedly, the Hamburger Inn was the first precast building in Southwestern Oklahoma.  Lee Garrett, a previous owner of the Hamburger Inn said the original 15 x 15 building was constructed of 100% concrete.  The walls and roof were all made of concrete panels and were put together piece by piece in one day.

Homer left Mangum in the 30’s leaving his son Ross to run the Hamburger Inn.  Homer went on to build several other Hamburger Inns – El Reno, Frederick, Hobart, and Clinton.  Eventually, Ross moved to El Reno and became the Hamburger King of El Reno.  That is another story.  Bufford moved on to Oklahoma City and opened “Glenn’s Hickory Inn & Pit Barbeque”. 

Meanwhile in Mangum, Merrill Weekly now owned the Hamburger Inn.  Lee Garrett and his brother, both waiters and cooks, learned the business from Weekly.  The good old days when buns were delivered 50 in a package and hamburgers were 6 for a quarter.

Years later after Merrill moved on to Ardmore, Lee and his brother purchased the Hamburger Inn from Buck Callins in the early 50’s.  It was Lee who contributed the infamous Hamburger Inn Hot Sauce recipe.  The same hot sauce is still served today.  It’s a tradition to add a dab of hot sauce to your burger.  People would line up to place their order since there were only 9 stools at the counter.  GW Sheward worked for Lee during the early 50’s and recalls “jumping over the counter to sweep”, restroom facilities were available next door at the Conoco gas station and times when the pop would be iced down in big wash tubs.

During the late 70’s Floyd Lewallen and Margie Stone expanded the Hamburger Inn by adding a kitchen, dining area and restrooms.

There have been many owners, lessees and operators of the Hamburger Inn throughout the 75 plus years.  A partial listing of these people includes Herbert Barnett, Doc & Bill Silk, Shelia Beal, Dewayne Stuchell and Ron Reynolds.  However, the names that are continually mentioned in fond Hamburger Inn memories and are synonymous to the Hamburger Inn are Lee Garrett (owner/operator 50’s-70’s) and Ginny Stuchell (owner/operator 70’s-90’s). 

The Hamburger Inn property has a story of its own that began with President McKinley deeding the land to H.C. Sweet in 1899.  This small lot known as lot 4 has been mortgaged, sold, purchased, foreclosed and even sold at a sheriff’s sale in 1937; but the Hamburger Inn lives on.

The Hamburger Inn has been a tradition for many and is becoming a tradition with many more people as the years pass.  Hopefully, the traditions and memories will continue through the next 80 years.

The Hamburger Inn is currently owned by Bonnie and Sammy Parker. The Hamburger Inn is open Monday through Saturday for Breakfast and Lunch. The Hamburger Inn Evening Edition is open on Friday and Saturday evenings serving burgandy marinaded steaks, fried catfish and Chicken. The Hamburger Inn Simple Sunday is open on Sunday for lunch.

It all started in this small 15' x 15' building in 1928. Now expanded to include the old Dr Pepper Building and a new area as kitchen and additional dining areas.