Melan Bridge
About this property
The Melan Bridge is located in Emma Sater Park on the east side of Rock Rapids, Iowa, United States. The 30-by-16-foot (9.1 by 4.9 m) structure is believed to be the third reinforced concrete arch span built in the country. Austrian engineer Josef Melan developed a new system of concrete reinforcement for bridge construction in the early 1890s. A fellow Austrian, Fritz von Emperger, introduced the system in the United States, and obtained a patent for it in 1893. Von Emperger designed this bridge the same year to span a crossing over Dry Creek south of Rock Rapids. John Olsen, a builder from Rock Rapids, was contracted to build the structure. William S. Hewett of Minnesota was the construction supervisor. The cement for the bridge was imported from Germany for $3.25 per barrel. It was mixed with sand and crushed jasper. The reinforcing is composed of five 4-inch (10 cm) beams that are embedded in a concrete rib that narrows to 6 inches (15 cm) at the crown. The spandrels are faced with Sioux Falls Jasper. The total cost for the project was $830. The narrow roadway made the bridge unfit for automobile traffic, and it was removed in the early 1960s. Due to local public sentiment, the county and the state highway commission moved the historic structure to the park in 1964. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The Melan Bridge has been featured in the Cornell Civil Engineer, Modern Concrete Magazine, Concrete Industry News, and The Central Contractor. Because of its significance and authenticity, a model of the bridge has been on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Melan Bridge
This page lists Melan Bridge. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Nearby Historic Sites
Questions about this property
When was Melan Bridge listed on the National Register?
Melan Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 17, 1974.
What type of historic resource is Melan Bridge?
Melan Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Melan Bridge?
The period of significance for Melan Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Melan Bridge?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Melan Bridge will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Lyon County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Lyon County.
Explore LyonCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Melan Bridge will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.