The US town with only one inhabitant: she is mayor, librarian, and runs the only bar

In the vast plains of Nebraska lies Monowi, a town with a population of one: 91-year-old Elsie Eiler. Eiler is not just a resident; she is the mayor, librarian, and the proprietor of the town's only bar, embodying the entirety of Monowi's civic and social life.

Her daily routine involves serving patrons at her bar, which acts as a regional hub for locals, travelers, and tourists. Simultaneously, she manages the town's administrative duties. Eiler holds municipal elections annually, where she places a sign in her own bar and votes for herself to continue as mayor. She also personally handles the issuance of state-required business licenses.

"When I apply for my liquor and tobacco licenses from the state each year, they are sent to the town clerk, which is me," Eiler explained to the BBC. "So I receive them as the clerk, sign them as the official, and then I give them to myself as the bar owner."

Monowi's unique status earned it a Guinness World Record for the smallest municipality in the U.S. Although the 2020 census registered two inhabitants due to statistical privacy adjustments, Eiler remains the sole person living there. Her administration generates about $500 annually in taxes, enough to keep the public streetlights on.

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When I apply for my liquor and tobacco licenses from the state each year, they are sent to the town clerk, which is me. So I receive them as the clerk, sign them as the official, and then I give them to myself as the bar owner.