If you’re driving through the northern reaches of Boyd County, right near the South Dakota border, you might blink and miss it. But the green road sign is hard to ignore because it says something that seems like a typo: Monowi 1.
It’s not a mistake.
The population of Monowi Nebraska is exactly one person. Her name is Elsie Eiler. She is 92 years old, and she is quite literally the entire town. Honestly, it’s one of those things you have to see to believe. Most people assume "ghost towns" are just abandoned buildings and dust, but Monowi is an incorporated village. That means it has a budget, a mayor, and legal paperwork.
Elsie does it all.
Why the Census Bureau keeps getting it wrong
Here’s a weird detail that trips people up. If you look at the 2020 U.S. Census data, it actually says the population of Monowi is two.
When Elsie heard that, she joked that someone must be hiding under her bed or in her closet because she definitely hasn't seen them. It turns out the Census Bureau uses something called "differential privacy." It’s basically a fancy way of saying they add fake "noise" to data in tiny areas to protect people’s anonymity. Since everyone knows Elsie is the only one there, the government added a ghost person to the tally just to follow their own privacy algorithms.
But talk to Elsie, and she’ll tell you the truth: it’s just her.
📖 Related: Philly to DC Amtrak: What Most People Get Wrong About the Northeast Corridor
From a bustling hub to a solo act
It wasn’t always this quiet. In the 1930s, Monowi was a legitimate, thriving little community. We’re talking about 150 people, three grocery stores, and even a prison. It was a stop on the railroad.
Then the same thing happened here that happened across most of the Great Plains. The railroad pulled out. Farming changed. The kids grew up and realized they couldn't make a living in a town that was slowly evaporating, so they moved to the cities.
By the year 2000, only two people were left: Elsie and her husband, Rudy. They ran the Monowi Tavern together, living a quiet life in the middle of the prairie. When Rudy passed away in 2004, the population officially dropped to one.
The legal gymnastics of being a one-person town
You might wonder why she bothers keeping it "incorporated." Why not just let it become an unorganized territory?
Well, Elsie likes it this way. But being a town of one requires a surprising amount of paperwork. Every year, she has to hang a notice in the tavern announcing the upcoming mayoral election. Then, she goes to the polls and votes for herself.
She also acts as the:
👉 See also: Omaha to Las Vegas: How to Pull Off the Trip Without Overpaying or Losing Your Mind
- Town Clerk
- Treasurer
- Librarian
- Street Commissioner
Because Monowi is a village, it receives state funding for its four streetlights and various road repairs. To get that money, Elsie has to draft an annual municipal road plan and submit it to the state of Nebraska. She also has to pay taxes to herself to keep the "city" coffers full.
She even grants herself her own liquor license. Every year, she fills out the application as the business owner and signs it as the mayor. It’s a bit of a legal loop, but it works.
Life at the Monowi Tavern
The tavern is the heart of whatever is left of the town. Honestly, it's the only thing that's really "active" besides Elsie's house and the library.
Despite the population of Monowi Nebraska being solo, Elsie is rarely alone. People drive from 200 miles away just to have a burger and a beer with the woman who runs a whole town. It’s a local hangout for farmers from nearby Lynch or Verdel.
The prices feel like they’re stuck in a time warp. A few years ago, you could still get a burger for $3.50. It’s not about the money for her; it’s about the people. She opens up at 9:00 AM six days a week. She’s been doing it for over 50 years.
Rudy’s Library
Across from the tavern is a small shed that holds about 5,000 books. This is Rudy’s Library.
✨ Don't miss: North Shore Shrimp Trucks: Why Some Are Worth the Hour Drive and Others Aren't
Rudy was a massive reader, and his dream was to turn his collection into a public library. After he died, Elsie made it happen. She’s the librarian, obviously. There isn't a high-tech checkout system. If you want a book, you take it. If you’re done, you bring it back. It’s based entirely on the honor system, which tells you everything you need to know about this part of the country.
What happens next?
There is a lot of speculation about what happens when Elsie can no longer run the show. She’s aware of it. She’s even said that when she’s gone, the town probably goes with her. Without a resident to file the paperwork, Monowi will likely lose its incorporated status and become just another memory on the Nebraska plains.
But for now, she isn't going anywhere.
Actionable insights for visiting Monowi
If you’re planning to contribute to the temporary population of Monowi Nebraska by visiting, keep these things in mind:
- Check the schedule: Elsie usually takes Mondays off. Don't show up then expecting a burger.
- Bring cash: Small-town taverns in rural Nebraska aren't always the best place for digital wallets or American Express.
- Sign the guestbook: She has guestbooks filled with names from all 50 states and over 60 countries. It’s your chance to be part of the town’s history.
- Respect the pace: This isn't fast food. It's a 92-year-old woman cooking in a kitchen she's owned for half a century. Sit down, have a beer, and talk to the person next to you.
- Don't just take photos: While the "Population: 1" sign is a great photo op, remember that this is someone's home and livelihood. Buy a meal or a drink to help keep the lights on—literally.
The town survives because Elsie refuses to let it die. It’s a testament to a specific kind of Midwestern grit that is becoming increasingly rare. Whether it’s one person or one hundred, a town is only a town as long as someone is there to call it home.
To get there, take Highway 12 through Boyd County. Look for the small cluster of buildings and the green sign. Just make sure you say hi to the mayor when you walk through the door.
Next Steps for You
If you are fascinated by the rural history of the Great Plains, you should look into the "Sandhills" region of Nebraska next. It's one of the most sparsely populated areas in the lower 48 states and offers a similar glimpse into a way of life that hasn't changed much since the early 1900s. You can also research the "Ghost Town Trail" in Nebraska, which maps out other nearly-empty villages like Gross, which has a population of just two.