A hamburger war.

• Position: Brief article

Which American town was the birthplace of the hamburger? Folks in New Haven, Conn., will tell you that the burger was invented there in the early 1900s, at a Local eatery called Louis' Lunch. But Athens, Texas, now claims to be "the original home of the hamburger"--and there's a bill before the Texas House of Representatives to make it official. Connecticut officials say they will do whatever it takes to defend Louis' Lunch's claim to the "first burger" title. Jeff Lassen, the fourth-generation owner of Louis" (pronounced "Louie's"), says his great-grandfather invented the hamburger when he sandwiched steak trimmings between two slices of...