On Saturday, June 20th, I entered Nebraska from the northeast. I had a bunch of great stops, but at the top of the list was Monowi. Located in Boyd County, this used to be a bustling village of around 150 people back in the 1930s. But after agricultural jobs dried up and the railroad disappeared, the town steadily shrunk. When her husband Rudy passed away in 2004, Elsie Eiler became the sole remaining resident. Today, she serves as the only resident, the Town Mayor, Tavern Owner, Bartender, Librarian, and she even holds a badge as the Village Marshal.
I stopped into her tavern for lunch—a hamburger and fries that were absolutely delicious—and then just hung out for a while. She graciously shared stories of her life in Monowi and told me about her 75th High School Reunion, which she was attending that very evening in the next town over. I listened to stories about some of the tavern’s more interesting patrons, and the times she had to pull out her badge to remind them she was not only the bartender, but the marshal. She reminisced about an Arby’s commercial she was featured in, and we talked about her health, her family, and my trip.
At 92 years old, Elsie is a truly remarkable woman, and it was a genuine honor to meet her. She has been interviewed by media outlets from all over the world, but always right there in Monowi. Over the years, she has actually turned down appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show simply because she refused to leave town and ignore her daily duties. Knowing all of this made the time I spent with her, and the few photos I took, feel even more special.
She did mention she would be leaving town shortly after my visit to go see family in Arizona. I got the subtle, quiet sense that she might not be coming back. After decades of being the world’s most famous one-person town, this might be the end of an era. It made me realize that while she has been photographed by many over the years, I might very well have been the last. I hope I am wrong and she will be back behind that bar, or at least in front of that Monowi 1 sign again soon. I can’t imagine this road trip without a stop at her tavern.
Day Three.
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