Monowi, Nebraska... population: 1

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:36 am

Omaha World Herald wrote: Widespread publicity no problem for the only resident of Nebraska town

There's been a recent story in the Los Angeles Times, an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. and several calls from Jay Leno and the like. A London Times reporter was coming to visit.

Such publicity is not too shabby when you consider it's focused on a town with a population of one.

Monowi, Neb., and its lone resident, Elsie Eiler, are back in the national - and now international - headlines due to Monowi's status as possibly the nation's smallest incorporated town. It's also probably the smallest town with a public library.

The library, a memorial to Elsie's late husband, Rudy, is what recently drew a reporter from Los Angeles to Monowi, just south of the Missouri River, about 18 miles west of Niobrara State Park.

That Feb. 11 article, a follow-up to a story last May in The World-Herald, prompted dozens of letters and donations of books from as far away as Indiana, plus several phone calls seeking interviews.

"It was kind of a wild go for a few days," said Eiler, the sole proprietor of Monowi Tavern. "It gives you something else to talk about."

Eiler, 71, became Monowi's only citizen upon her husband's death 13 months ago.

Rudy, an avid reader, always dreamed of having his own library. Friends and family members opened the steel-shed library last summer.

It's not the first time Monowi has made headlines. In 1995, the town's then-eight residents were pictured on the cover of the book "Our Smallest Towns: Big Falls, Blue Eyes, Bonanza and Beyond."

The Eilers made Paul Harvey's radio program when they complained that the U.S. Census Bureau had missed two residents in the 1990 count.

Eiler said she's not yet sure if she's going to appear on any of the four talk shows that have called. She said most people who call or write ask why she doesn't move to a bigger city.

"This is home," she said. "This is where I want to be as long as I can take care of myself. I have a lot of friends here."

DMRyan · Post by **DMRyan** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:58 am

That lady is awesome.

Seventy-one years old and maintains a library, a tavern and is probably the mayor too. I can't imagine how the place would still manage to be incorporated since there are usually rules in state codes that require so many elected officials to be on the government in a town, but I'm sure the state turns a cheek with a place that size.

That's a good story.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:56 am

jhuston wrote:
"This is home," she said. "This is where I want to be as long as I can take care of myself. I have a lot of friends here."

I wonder where they live.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:40 pm

DTO Luv wrote:
jhuston wrote:
"This is home," she said. "This is where I want to be as long as I can take care of myself. I have a lot of friends here."
I wonder where they live.

Suburbs

OmahaRules · Post by **OmahaRules** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 11:51 pm

Damn, suburban sprawl. Needs some infill if you ask me.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Oct 19, 2021 9:05 am

Came across this the other day:
[youtube][/youtube]

HighWinds · Post by **HighWinds** » Tue Nov 12, 2024 8:53 am

I saw a video featuring Monowi on YouTube yeaterday.

I'm too lazy to go back and get the link, but in the video a few young men traveled to Monowi, and asked Elise to be the mayer of the town for a single day.

It's cool to see Monowi appearing in a lot of YouTube videos over the last few years!

Nosebot · Post by **Nosebot** » Tue Nov 12, 2024 2:27 pm

HighWinds wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2024 8:53 am I saw a video featuring Monowi on YouTube yeaterday.

I'm too lazy to go back and get the link, but in the video a few young men traveled to Monowi, and asked Elise to be the mayer of the town for a single day.

It's cool to see Monowi appearing in a lot of YouTube videos over the last few years!

I got you!

HighWinds · Post by **HighWinds** » Tue Nov 12, 2024 5:19 pm

Nosebot wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2024 2:27 pm
HighWinds wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2024 8:53 am I saw a video featuring Monowi on YouTube yeaterday.

I'm too lazy to go back and get the link, but in the video a few young men traveled to Monowi, and asked Elise to be the mayer of the town for a single day.

It's cool to see Monowi appearing in a lot of YouTube videos over the last few years!
I got you!

Thanks

Post by **Brad** » Wed Nov 13, 2024 12:45 am

Crazy story about Monowi. A few months back in August, my brother in law, my nephew, my son, and I stopped in Monowi for lunch, We were heading to the Valentine area for a camping and float trip. My nephew and my son have a connection to Lynch, NE, which is right next to Monowi. I thought it would be cool to stop in Monowi and Lynch on our way to the Valentine area. We get to Monowi, and there was one guy in there eating by himself. When we were wrapping up, the guy asked where we were from and what we were doing in Monowi. I told him my son and I were from Omaha and the other two were from DC. I said we were heading to Valentine but the kids had a family connection to Lynch so I wanted to take them there on our way. Guy said "You must be related to __________________". and he stared dropping my in-laws names. One of the craziest small world things I have ever experienced. His name was John and apparently he is the local historian of Lynch, NE. You never know who you are going to meet in a town of ONE... LOL.

It was also fun to take my brother in law who grew up in Manhattan and now lives DC to the smallest city in the US.

Omaha Forums