One of the most compelling and heartwarming stories to emerge from the United States is that of Monowi, Nebraska. This small town has the unique distinction of being the smallest in the country, with only one resident – 80-year-old Elsie Eiler. But Eiler’s story goes beyond mere residence; as Monowi’s only resident, she wears many hats: she is mayor, bartender, clerk, librarian, treasurer, and even keeps the lights on in what would otherwise be a ghost town. Her remarkable dedication keeps Monowi alive and makes it a true testament to small-town spirit in America.

Monowi is a poignant distillation of its region’s past. It is one of three incorporated towns in Boyd County with fewer than ten residents, a testament to an area trying to weather the passage of time and economic change. In the 1930s, Monowi was a bustling hub along the Elkhorn Railroad, home to 150 residents, with grocery stores, a restaurant and even a jail. By the mid-20th century, however, the town’s bright lights began to fade, signaling the beginning of its decline.

After World War II, agricultural conditions in the Midwest deteriorated, leading to the collapse of many local communities and accelerating the country’s economic development. As the new era dawned, people sought work elsewhere, leaving only memories and structures like the abandoned church and other eerily silent buildings. These remnants are slowly being reclaimed by the land, with brome grass and weeds gradually taking over what once belonged to the people.

Elsie grew up on a farm just a quarter mile from Monowi and met her future husband Rudy at the local one-class elementary school. The couple later rode the bus to their high school, which was about seven miles from home. When Rudy joined the U.S. Air Force in the early 1950s, he was deployed to France during the Korean War. With Rudy away, Elsie moved to Kansas City, Missouri, planning to become a stewardess. However, she found city life difficult and soon returned to Monowi.

She married Rudy at 19 and the couple had two children. Some time later, Rudy – who worked in the grain elevator and delivered fuel to nearby gas stations – came up with the idea of ​​renovating and opening the old tavern that once belonged to Elsie’s father. They opened their business in 1971.

Although opening the Monowi Tavern was such a brilliant idea, the town had long been on the decline. To put it in perspective, the last funeral in the church was for Elsie’s father in 1960, and the post office and last grocery stores closed between 1967 and 1970. The school followed in 1974. In a sign of the times and the generational divide, both Eiler children left town in the mid-1970s, and by 1980 the population dwindled to just 18. By 2000, only two remained: Rudy and Elsie, who still ran the tavern.

Unfortunately, Rudy passed away in 2004, leaving Elsie as Monowi’s only resident. When he died, Monowi overtook Gross, Nebraska, which had two residents, to become the only incorporated city in the U.S. with one resident.

It must feel surreal to be Monowi’s only resident, but Elsie claims she’s perfectly happy with her unique situation. Her duties, however, are particularly unusual. Each year, she posts an ad in her bar, the town’s only functioning business, to announce the mayoral election and then casts her vote for herself. As the incumbent, she must design the town’s street plan to secure state funding annually. She also collects about $500 in taxes herself to keep the town’s three lampposts lit and the water running.

As the tavern’s landlady, she applies for her liquor and tobacco licenses each year and sends them to Monowi’s secretary, Elsie. She signs them as town clerk and then gives them to the bar owner and herself. She also keeps a register of vacant residential buildings, regardless of their obvious disrepair, just in case someone wants to live there.

Although she lives alone and walks just a few metres from her trailer every day to open the bar, Elsie has regulars who come from far away to check on her. They can be anywhere from 30 to 320 kilometres away. Some are relatives of former Monowi residents and she uses the tavern as a meeting place for them all. People also come from far away for the Sunday night Euchre game and her guest book is full of signatures from all over the world. That’s not bad for a one-man town.

Another emotional reason Elsie is so connected to the town is her late husband’s library. His dying wish was to turn his extensive book collection into a public library. So before he died, he ordered a 30-square-foot shed and packed his 5,000 books and magazines into boxes, but he died before he was finished. The family pulled themselves together, however, and finished the project, which was signified by a handmade sign painted by the grandchildren.

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