Melle was mentioned in documents in 830, although the archeological findings prove the region was inhabited long before that date.

Miss Belgium 2000, Joke van de Velde grew up and went to high school in Melle.

Several Belgian and international celebrities went to this school (e.g. Cédric Van Branteghem (runner), a brother of Princess Mathilde).

The village gained more national fame thanks to the TV show Schalkse Ruiters, which featured host Bart De Pauw playing a comedy character named The Man from Melle and who claimed to be from the (then non-existent) Koekoekstraat nr.

At a certain point the city council decided to name one of their new streets Koekoekstraat and painted a door with house number 70 on the wall.