If you are looking for Tiny Town USA, this is it!
Americans looking for an idyllic small town for their vacation are in luck, because this Nebraska city has been named the best city in a new study—and it’s only the locals who have the say.
Monowi, a small incorporated village in Boyd County, ranked first on Far and Wide’s 2024 list of the best cities in the country to visit or live.
The village first gained popularity after federal officials discovered that the only resident of the 0.21-square-mile area was 90-year-old Elsie Eiler.
Eiler is not only the only resident, but also the town’s mayor, librarian and bartender.
Monowi, a small incorporated village in Boyd County, ranked first on Far and Wide’s 2024 list of best cities to visit or live in the country
The village first gained popularity after federal officials discovered that the only resident of the 0.21-square-mile area was 90-year-old Elsie Eiler.
It has operated its own Monowi Tavern since June 1971 and also issues its own bar license.
Eiler also filed and paid her own taxes for over a decade.
In addition, the only local chapter maintains the five thousand volume Rudy’s Library, which was founded in memory of her late husband, Rudy Eiler.
Located between the Niobrara River and the larger Missouri River, this village once had 150 residents in the 1930s.
Eiler operates her own Monowi Tavern, which she has owned since June 1971, and also issues her own bar license
Eiler is not only the only resident, but also the town’s mayor, librarian and bartender.
Monowi was founded in 1902 as a farming, ranching and railroad town. By the 1930s, the village had all the hallmarks of a bustling Great Plains village: grain elevators, schools, a post office, a church and even a jail.
However, with the modernization of agriculture and the closure of the railway in 1978, Monowi experienced a decline and residents were forced to move elsewhere in search of work.
The prison is now an empty, rust-colored building marred by real rust. The church’s last memorial service was for Eiler’s father in 1960, and the last Sunday service was held not long afterward.
Since Eiler’s story and the uniqueness of the village have gained popularity, people from all over the world visit Monowi to hear their stories.
