A once-thriving town is now considered the smallest by population in the entire world – with just a single resident. In the heart of the American Midwest, situated in the ‘Cornhusker State’, lies the town of Monowi, which enjoys the unique distinction of being the least populous incorporated village in the United States.
Located in the far north of Nebraska, five miles from the border with South Dakota, Monowi has just one resident, a 90-year-old woman named Elsie Eiler, who serves as the town’s mayor, clerk, treasurer, bartender, and librarian. In its previous life, Monowi was what the BBC described as a “bustling stop on the Elkhorn Railroad” and housed a much healthier 150 people, as well as such features as restaurants and a prison. In the wake of World War II, however, farming conditions reportedly deteriorated and rural economies suffered, with US communities beginning to vanish, a fate that Monowi also seemingly couldn’t escape.
Local facilities shuttered over the years, including grocery shops, the post office, and the school. By the time it hit 1980, there were just 18 inhabitants and, two decades later, just two, Elsie and her husband, Rudy, who operated the local tavern.
Rudy sadly died in 2004, leaving Elsie to take charge of the entire town. The area is now recognised in the Guinness World Records as the least populated town in the world. In a video posted on Instagram, user Seph Lawless paid a visit to Elsie and filmed a short interview for his channel.
In the caption, he wrote: “In a town with a population of one, I stood face to face with Elsie Eiler — the last resident of Monowi, Nebraska.
“She lives alone in a town that once thrived — now a ghost echoing her memories. Meeting Elsie reminded me that sometimes, the strongest souls dwell in the quietest places.
“This is the story of the last heartbeat of America’s smallest town. One woman. One town. A thousand stories.”
A reported draw for inquisitive tourists, the only remaining places open in the town are, of course, Monowi Tavern and the touchingly titled Rudy Eiler Memorial Library.
In 2020, when Elsie was 84, the BBC revealed that she would display a sign in the tavern advertising elections for town mayor and then simply vote for herself.
It was reported at the time that, despite its lack of residents, people would still descend on her tavern, including her regulars, who lived within 20 to 30 miles. She told the broadcaster: “It’s like one big family.
“There are fourth- and fifth-generation customers coming in. It’s pretty neat when the people you remember as babies are now bringing their babies in to show me.”
Meanwhile, Seph asked her if she was indeed the town mayor, to which a bemused Elsie pointed out that there was “no one else” and she had to “account for budget”, although she conceded that it “doesn’t amount to much”.
In more poignant remarks, she explained that she’d likely remain in the town until they “carry me out”, and once the population dwindles to zero, Monowi would become just “another little place” on the road.
