What Life Looks Like Inside The Tiniest Town In Nebraska
By Delana Lefevers|Published December 30, 2017
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Delana Lefevers
Author
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
Nebraska kind of specializes in towns that are little more than “wide spots in the road.” In addition to our tiny towns, we have tons of census-designated places which aren’t official towns or villages and typically have only a handful of residents. That’s what makes this one town so special: it’s an actual incorporated town, and it’s the smallest – by population – in the entire country.
The Boyd County town of Monowi boasts a population of just one.
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It has been so since 2004. This tiny town, which consists of not much more than one unpaved road, a few buildings, and four streetlights, has received a whole lot of media attention from around the world.
No other incorporated town in the country maintains a population of just one resident. That resident, Elsie Eiler, is both a small business owner and the town's mayor. As the owner of the local tavern, she faithfully pays taxes to the town.
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Life here is understandably slow and quiet, but not lonely.
Elsie has regular visitors at the tavern, which she has owned and operated since 1975. Some people come from far away to experience the novelty of the nation's smallest town, but most come from surrounding communities to eat, chat, and enjoy a beer or two. When it snows, folks come from neighboring communities to plow the streets. When the tavern gets busy - and it does enjoy some busy days - friends pitch in to help serve customers.
It's never been a bustling center of activity; its peak population was 123 in 1930. By the 1980s, that number had dwindled to the low double digits. And before Elsie's husband passed away in 2004, the population was just 2.
You don't need to feel sorry for this tiny town's only resident.
Elsie enjoys a very active social life and a successful business. In fact, she receives so much attention and visits with so many friends every day that she has said she enjoys her alone time at the end of the day.
Without a doubt, the little library is one of the most notable features in the town.
Rudy Eiler loved books, and Elsie operates Rudy's Library in his memory. If you want to check out a book, you've got to stop by the tavern - just a stone's throw away - to speak with Elsie. She'll open up the building for you to step inside and browse.
What do you think about life in this tiny town? Have you ever visited Monowi to experience it for yourself? Tell us what you thought in the comments!
Want to see more of Nebraska’s littlest towns? Check out this list of 12 towns with fewer than 40 people each.
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