Monowi, Nebraska, USA

Is it possible to be the most admired person in town and at the same time also the smartest, the wealthiest, the best-looking, the youngest, and the oldest? Yes, that's possible! When you are the only resident of a small rural town like Monowi, Nebraska, USA. Her name is Elsie Eiler and she is also the mayor.

image credit

Elsie Eiler, 77, is the lone inhabitant of Monowi, a village in northeast Nebraska. Monowi had two people in 2000, but the other one was Eiler's husband, Rudy, and he died in 2004. The picture above was taken when Elsie's husband was still alive.

Monowi's peak years were in the 1930s, when it had a population of 130. Monowi - founded by Czech immigrants seeking a slice of the American dream - like many other small communities in the Great Plains, lost its younger residents to cities that were experiencing growth and offering better jobs.

(via J-Walk Blog)