84-Yr-Old US Woman Is The Only Resident In Her Town

84-year-old Elsie Eiler is the only resident in her town. She is the clerk, treasurer, librarian, and bartender of her one-woman town of Monowi. She is also the mayor. Every year, she hangs an advertisement for election, and then votes for herself.  Monowi is the only incorporated place in the US with just one resident.

Monowi used to be a farm town, occupied by 150 people when Eiler was growing up. However, everyone started to move in the wake of the Second World War. By the early 2000s, only Eiler and her husband were left. Her husband passed away in 2004. Since then, Eiler has lived in the town alone.

“I know I could always move closer to my children or stay with them whenever I want, but then I’d have to make all new friends again. As long as I’m able to be here, this is where I really want to be. I guess it’s harder to change your habits when you get older,” she said

Eiler also says that she doesn’t feel too lonely because there is always somebody coming and going. She has many tourists stop by.  Tourists from 47 states and 40 countries have stopped by in the town.

Her routine

Eiler opens the world famous Monowi Tavern every day at 9 am. Most of her regulars live within 20 and 30 miles away, and many people come to check up on her. She also produces a municipal road plan every year in order to secure state funding. Eiler raises 500 dollars of tax money from herself to keep the town’s three lamp posts on and the water flowing.

“When I apply to the state for my liquor and tobacco licenses each year, they send them to the secretary of the village, which is me,” she explained. “So, I get them as the secretary, sign them as the clerk and give them to myself as the bar owner.”

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Picture Credit: Reuters