Imagine living alone in an entire town! Sounds ridiculous, right? Well, this is the reality for Elsie Eiler. This 84-year old woman is the only resident of Monowi, a town located in Boyd County, Nebraska, United States.
The Official Census Results
According to the Census 2010 results, Monowi town is unique. It stands out as the only town in the US that has a population of one.
The Story of Elsie’s Life
Elsie is probably one of the busiest American living. Although she is the sole resident of Monowi, the town is characterized by numerous tourist activities.
To maintain its vigour, she wakes up early enough to complete all her administrative duties. Elsie works as the town’s mayor, librarian, clerk, treasurer, secretary, and mediator.
Yes, you read that right! The old lady discharges all these duties without tiring.
This is what is even more interesting about Elsie;
She is a colon cancer survivor!
After overcoming the disease in 2011, she decided to give her body a break and only works for 6 days a week
How Elsie Manages Her Day
The 84-year old lady opens Monowi Tavern by 9 a.m daily except for Mondays. She serves burgers ($3.50) and hot dogs ($1.25). Also, Tavern is known to serve cold beer that has stirred interest among the town’s visitors.
How Elsie Interacts with Visitors
Elsie spends most of her time interacting with regulars who visit the town to tour the Monowi Tavern. The place is popular with card games and other recreational activities. Also, she joins the visitors to show off baby photos and talk about their families. She has welcomed visitors from at least 47 states and 41 countries.
What Elsie Likes About Being the Only Resident in Monowi
Elsie acknowledges that being the only resident of Monowi has tremendous benefits. For one, she faces no competition for the mayor’s post! She is the only voter in the town which renders an election irrelevant.
Also, she faces no competition for her businesses. The Monowi Tavern, which she bought in 1971 together with her late husband- Rudy Eiler, has no competition. She also operates a town library that has more than 5000 books.
Elsie’s Determination to Maintain Monowi
Elsie has observed the dissolution of small communities in the US. However, she is not ready to let Monowi slip off her hands.
To achieve this, she has dutifully completed all work, paid at least $500 to maintain the town, and applied for all licenses required to run a business in the town.
History of Monowi
In the 1930s, Monowi was a bustling town with a railroad, several businesses and a prison. However, farming conditions in the area worsened due to mechanisation. This development led to a loss of jobs and people moved away in search of better opportunities.
Elsie and her husband remained as the only residents. In 2004, her husband died leaving her as the only resident of the town.
