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Many of the 'cities' with the smallest populations in the world have resident numbers that one can count on a single hand. But there are some towns where it only takes a single finger to count. One such town is Monowi in Nebraska, with a population of one and dubbed America's tiniest town. It is one of three incorporated towns in Nebraska's Boyd County, with a population of fewer than 10 residents.

Monowi is in stark contrast to Nebraska's largest city - Omaha (which is also worth a visit for anyone passing through). Monowi is located only five miles from the South Dakota state line and is nestled among rolling prairie grasslands and golden wheat fields. Nebraska is a state that has more than just cornfields; there are a number of things to see and do there.

Monowi Ghost Town In Nebraska
Andrew Filer / Wikipedia Commons
Monowi Ghost Town In Nebraska

Monowi: Backstory Of America's One-Woman Town

Monowi is an incorporated village in Boyd County in northern Nebraska. It seems almost all of its former inhabitants have had the same idea to skip town until its population dwindled to just one. The sole resident of this one-horse town is Elsie Eiler.

The settlement was platted in 1903 when a railroad reached the site. A post office opened in Monowi and continued to operate until 1967. Back then, Monowi had three grocery shops, a church, a school, restaurants, and a prison. But Monowi's population was not always so low. In 1910 its population was 109 residents, and it peaked in 1930 at 123 people (although reports say its population reached around 150 in the 1930s). But after that, it soon went into decline as its younger residents moved to the cities (like other communities in the Great Plains). Its population fell to 16 in 1970 and then 2 at the turn of the millennium. The greater context of the decline was the rural economies collapsing throughout the Great Plains after the Second World War.

Collapsing wood framed store beside decaying buildings of a ghost town
Shutterstock
Collapsing wood framed store beside decaying buildings of a ghost town 

In the 2010 census, the population of Monowi was shown as one; however, in the 2020 census, it was reported to have swelled to two residents. Subsequent investigation found that extra count to be erroneous; its population remains just one, and Eiler is still the only resident of the town. The exact person was a result of someone living nearby and their location being approximated to protect their anonymity in the census.

The two residents in the 2000 census were Elsie Eiler and her husband, Rudy Eiler. But Rudy passed away in 2004, and since then, Elsie has been the sole resident of the town, finally to 1 in 2010 (and the adjusted 2020 census).

Related: Learn The History Of These 10 Eerie U.S. Ghost Towns

Meet Elsie Eiler - The Sole Resident Of Monowi

“When I apply to the state for my liquor and tobacco licenses each year, they send them to the secretary of the village, which is me,” she explained. “So, I get them as the secretary, sign them as the clerk and give them to myself as the bar owner.” - Elsie Eiler (Retrieved From The BBC)

Elsie acts as mayor and grants herself a liquor license. She also produces a municipal road plan annually so that she can secure state funding for the settlement's four streetlights. Every year, Elsie Eiler as the mayor and tax collector continues to file the required county and state paperwork.

The Great Plains, Nebraska
Photo by Ben Weber on Unsplash
An image from the The Great Plains, Nebraska

Elier grew up on a farm just a quarter of a mile from the town, and she met her future husband, Rudy, at Monowi's one-room schoolhouse back in their elementary school days. Rudy went on to serve in the US Air Force. They married when she was 19 years old, and they had two children together. Today there are three housing units in Monowi, and only one is occupied (by 88-year-old Elsie Eiler).

Related: This Abandoned Smokies Ghost Town Is Easy To Hike To

The Monowi Ghost Town & Frequenting The Tavern

Visitors are greeted by a ghost town. See the remnants of the town's abandoned general store (which collapsed recently). Venture into the town's abandoned church, and one will find empty pews filled with tractor tires. Outside on the street are the rotting remnants of houses people used to call home.

  • Peak Population: 150 (in the 1930s)
  • Current Population: 1
  • Services: Tavern, Library
  • Size: 0.21 square miles (0.54 km2)
Beer Being Poured From The Tap
Photo by Josh Olalde via Unsplash
Beer being poured from the tap

Eiler also operates a bar (yes, even a town of one can have a bar). The bar is called the Monowi Tavern (which Eiler also operates). The tavern is frequented by locals in the area and by travelers and tourists coming to see the ghost town. But that's not all. The town also has a library - Rudy's Library. Eiler maintains this five-thousand-volume library in memory of her late husband.

The tavern was opened by the couple in 1971 even as the town was in steep decline. Since 1971, Eiler has run the tavern and is both the cook and bartender. The tavern is complete with a sign reading “Welcome To The World Famous Monowi Tavern. Coldest Beer In Town!” The food at the tavern has been described by the NY Times as tasty and cheap, and the beer costs only $2. Visitors need to try her pork fritters or her hamburgers ($3.50) and hot dogs ($1.25). The tavern normally closes at around 9.00 pm. The bar is closed on Mondays when she gives herself a day off.

Go up further north into Canada's prairies and see a similar story of ghost towns. Explore the Saskatchewan Ghost Town Trail and see 32 ghost towns. On the other side of the country, Rhode Island's White Horse Tavern is the oldest in the country.