2013 Map of Melvin

About this map

The settlement of Melvin anchors this 2013 landscape in Polk County, Minnesota, where the agrarian heritage of the region is written into the network of water management and rural burial grounds. The terrain is defined by the winding course of the Sand Hill River and its tributaries, including Maple Cr and Kittleson Cr, which flow through a meticulously engineered environment of drainage projects like County Ditch Number One Hundred Nineteen and Judicial Ditch Number Fiftythree. For those exploring the genealogy and local history of this Red River Valley area, several small landmarks offer important clues to the early residents. The presence of Bethel Cem, Lone Star Cem, and Scott Widrig Cem scattered across the township lines provides a window into the family-centered communities that have long worked these flatlands, while the Melvin Slough serves as a reminder of the natural hydrology that predates the extensive ditching systems.