2019 Map of Melvin

About this map

The small settlement of Melvin anchors the northeastern corner of this Polk County landscape, situated where the Agassiz Trail meets the local road network. The terrain is defined by a sophisticated system of water management, including the long reaches of County Ditch Number One Hundred Nineteen and Judicial Ditch Number Fiftythree, which speak to the region's agricultural drainage history. These man-made channels complement natural features like Melvin Slough and the winding course of the Sand Hill River in the south. For those researching local families, the map preserves the locations of several burial grounds, including Lone Star Cem, Bethel Cem, and the Scott-Widrig Cem. The grid of section lines and range markers like t148n r45w illustrates the organized township system that shaped this prairie environment.