Monowi, Nebraska
Monowi is the least populous incorporated village in the United States by population by having a population of one. It is in Boyd County, Nebraska, United States, and received national and international attention after the 2010 United States census recorded only one resident in the village, Elsie Eiler, who serves as its mayor, librarian, clerk, and treasurer. Although the 2020 census listed Monowi's population as two, this was confirmed to be an example of differential privacy in the census data; Eiler remains the town's sole resident.
According to tradition, the name "Monowi" means "flower" in an unidentified Native American language. Monowi was named after the many wildflowers growing at the original site of the village.
History
Monowi was platted in 1902 following the extension of the Mason, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad to the area. A post office was established in Monowi in 1902 and operated until its closure in 1967.Monowi reached its peak population in the 1930s, when approximately 150 people lived in the village. Like many other small communities in the Great Plains, it lost its younger residents to larger cities that were experiencing growth and offering better employment opportunities.
During the 2000 census, the village recorded a total population of two, consisting of a married couple, Rudy and Elsie Eiler. Rudy died in 2004, leaving his wife as the village's sole resident. In this role, she serves as mayor and issued herself a liquor license. She is also required to submit an annual municipal road plan to maintain state funding for the village's four streetlights.
Although the village is nearly abandoned, it does have a bar called the Monowi Tavern, operated by Eiler for passing travelers and tourists. She also maintains Rudy's Library, a collection of approximately 5,000 volumes established in memory of her late husband.
In 2018, the village was featured in commercials for Arby's and Prudential Financial. The village was also used as a starting place for the biggest advertisement poster in the world, which was finished on June 13, 2018.