Most of the photos here were taken by Russell Lee (above; 1903–1986), who was invited to join the federally funded Farm Security Administration as part of a team of photographers charged with documenting the plight of the rural poor during the Depression. (Esther Bubley, Jack Delano, and Arthur Rothstein, whose photos are also represented below, were members of the project as well.)

These photos are truly a fascinating scrapbook of hamburger—and American—history, and they're available for reproduction online at the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Reading Room (search the catalog for "hamburger"). Dig in!

Making hamburgers in concession stand, National Rice Festival, Crowley, Louisiana; October 1938; Russell Lee

Interior of hamburger stand. Waiting for customer, Alpine, Texas; May 1939; Russell Lee

Booth in hamburger stand, Alpine, Texas; May 1939; Russell Lee

Man in hamburger stand, Alpine, Texas; May 1939; Russell Lee

Little boy buying hamburger, state fair, Donaldsonville, Louisiana; November 1938; Russell Lee

Hamburger stand with old brands, Dumas, Texas; September 1939; Russell Lee

A hamburger shop in Durham, North Carolina; May 1940; Jack Delano

Hamburger stand and back of buildings on main street, Eufaula, Oklahoma; February 1940; Russell Lee

Hamburger stand, Harlingen, Texas; February 1939; Russell Lee

Hamburger stand. Imperial County Fair, California; March 1942; Russell Lee

Hamburger stand. Imperial County Fair, California; March 1942; Russell Lee

Blue Island, Illinois. After a movie, the Senise family drops in at a lunch counter for hamburgers; February 1943; Jack Delano

Washington, D.C. Walter Spangenberg and his date at the Hot Shoppe after the Woodrow Wilson High School regimental ball. She ordered a hamburger and milk, while he got a hamburger and a Coke; October 1943; Esther Bubley

At the hamburger stand on the Fourth of July, Vale, Oregon; July 1941; Russell Lee

White Tavern hamburger stand was the popular place in Amsterdam, New York; October 1941; John Collier

White Tavern hamburger stand was the popular place in Amsterdam, New York; October 1941; John Collier

Woodville, California. FSA (Farm Security Administration) farm workers' community. Migrant agricultural workers eating hamburgers at the Saturday night dance; January 1942; Russell Lee

Woodville, California. FSA (Farm Security Administration) farm workers' community. The women's club sells hamburgers at the Saturday night dances; January 1942; Russell Lee