Melan Bridge

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

From the record

“The Melan Bridge is located in Emma Sater Park on the east side of Rock Rapids, Iowa, United States. The 30-by-16-foot structure is believed to be the third reinforced concrete arch span built in the country.”
Wikipedia article Melan Bridge, CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 8 National Register listings published here for Lyon County · listed in 1974 · category: Structure.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 structure as contributing to the listing.
Address. E of Rock Rapids in Emma Sater Park, Rock Rapids, 51246
When was it listed? October 1974
Category. structure
Township. Rock township
National Register reference number. 74000797 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Mines and quarries near this property

10 of 18 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 18 workings within 5 miles of Melan Bridge: 15 past producers, 2 unknowns, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status
Hogan	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Hogan-Welters	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Holthusen Number One	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Lyon County-Collins Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Pettengill Rock Rapids #1	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Pettengill Rock Rapids #2	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Unknown
Pettengill Rock Valley	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Unknown
Pettengill-Riverside Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer

Every working recorded in Lyon County

Storms near this property

60 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Rock Rapids, the town this property stands in, in 60 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 27 hail, 17 thunderstorm wind, 11 flood, 3 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
June 2014	Flood	Rock Rapids	$2,000,000	Repeated heavy rains caused record flooding of the Rock River. Numerous homes, businesses, roads, farmland, and other low areas were flooded, forcing many people to evacuate their homes and rely on Red Cross and other volunteer assistance for several days. The flooding was especially severe in Rock Rapids, where the river crested at a record 13.98 feet above flood stage on June 17th.
June 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	$50,000	no account filed
June 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	$20,000	Thunderstorm winds blew the roof off a large barn and damaged the walls of the barn.
May 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds blew over two large grain bins and caused tree damage.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds blew out a wall of a 50 by 50 foot machine shed.
May 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including small trees blown down.
July 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	$5,000	no account filed
June 1994	Tornado (F0)	Rock Rapids	$500	no account filed
June 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	$200	Thunderstorm winds blew off a garage door.
July 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	Winds were measured by a personal weather station.
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	Thunderstorm winds blew down several trees in Rock Rapids.
June 2024	Flash Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Flooding of Moon Creek on the west edge of Rock Rapids resulted in evacuations. For a more comprehensive description of flood damage, please see other entries for areal and river flooding for Lyon County.
June 2019	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	Very little wind with a few quarter-sized hailstones.
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	Large tree branches down.
May 2014	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	Hail was accompanied by wind gusts estimated at 45 mph.
June 2013	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Heavy rain caused minor flooding of the Rock River, with lowlands, including some farmland and a few rural roads affected.
May 2012	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Heavy rain caused minor lowland flooding of the Rock River, with a few rural roads also affected. The river crested at 1.98 feet above flood stage at Rock Rapids on May 28th.
June 2011	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Heavy rain resulted in minor flooding of the Rock River, with flooding of some farmland along the river. The river crested at 1.9 feet above flood stage at Rock Rapids on June 23rd.
August 2011	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	Large hail, driving by wind gusts to 60 mph, caused an unknown amount of crop damage in the area.
July 2011	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Heavy rain caused minor lowland flooding of the Rock River, including some flooded parkland and farmland. The river crested at 2.5 feet above flood stage at Rock Rapids on July 16th.
August 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including numerous branches blown down. A few large branches fell on homes. The winds were accompanied by quarter size hail.
March 2010	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Rapid melting of a heavy winter snowpack caused moderate flooding of the Rock River in Lyon County. Farmland and other lowlands along the river were flooded.
March 2010	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Rapid melting of a heavy winter snowpack caused flooding of the Big Sioux River which resulted in major flooding along part of the river. Several fields and roads were flooded. The snowmelt also caused the Rock River to flood. It crested at 4 feet above flood stage at Rock rapids on March 15th.
September 2010	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Heavy rain caused record flooding of the Rock River. Farmland and several roads were affected, including in and near Rock Rapids. The river rose above flood stage at Rock Rapids on September 23rd, crested at a record 9.25 feet above flood stage on September 25th, and fell below flood stage on September 28th.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including several trees blown down.
September 2010	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	Large hail dented vehicles and windshields;.
June 2008	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Heavy rain caused minor to moderate flooding of the Rock River, affecting farmland along the river.
June 2008	Flash Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Thunderstorms produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding along Tom Creek, as well as flooding of roads and other low areas in and near Rock Rapids. Cropland in the area was also flooded.
March 2007	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Warm temperatures caused a rapid snowmelt which caused the Big Sioux River to rise above flood stage for several days. The flooding was minor to moderate with no significant damage reported. The snowmelt also caused the Rock River to flood. It crested at 6.3 feet above flood stage at Rock Rapids on March 15th.\|
August 2006	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	Large hail was accompanied by 40 mph winds and heavy rain.
September 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including a large tree blown down onto a county road.
September 2005	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	Large hail accumulated to a depth of 6 inches.
July 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage.
July 2004	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	Large hail, driven by strong winds, caused damage to corn and soybean crops, The amount of damage was not known.
June 2003	Tornado (F0)	Rock Rapids	-	A brief tornado caused no reported damage.
July 2001	Flash Flood	Rock Rapids	-	Rainfall of three and a half inches caused flooding of the Lyon County fairgrounds, forcing several fair events to be cancelled or postponed. The fair manager described part of the fairgrounds as like a lake, and six to eight inches of water stood in livestock barns.
April 2021	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
August 2020	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
August 2017	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
May 2016	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
September 2010	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
July 2009	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
July 2009	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
March 2006	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
April 2006	Flood	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
August 2006	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
April 2004	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
April 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
April 2004	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
August 2003	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
September 2002	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
June 2001	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
June 2001	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
June 2001	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
August 2001	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
May 2000	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
July 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
August 1998	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed
September 1997	Hail	Rock Rapids	-	no account filed

Every storm recorded in Lyon County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

3 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Property	Distance	Listed
Burlington, Cedar Rapids, and Northern Railroad-Rock Rapids Station, Railroad Track and Bridge	0.6 miles	1976
Lyon County Courthouse	0.6 miles	1979
First Methodist Church	0.8 miles	1978

Sources for this property

National Archives record	The nomination case file for reference 74000797 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia article	Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Lyon County	All 8 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.