About Monowi
Monowi takes the idea of a small town all the way to one. The incorporated village in Boyd County has a single resident, Elsie Eiler, who keeps its tavern going and tends a small library named for her late husband Rudy. A traveler can arrive expecting an abandoned dot on a map and instead find a working place where the town’s entire population may be behind the bar.
Monowi once had far more residents, but decades of departures gradually emptied it. After Rudy died in 2004, Elsie became the lone inhabitant. She has also handled the unusual civic chores that keep an incorporated town functioning, from local paperwork to licensing. The story is memorable because Monowi is both an odd statistic and someone’s actual home.
The Monowi Tavern is the natural place to stop, order something, and hear the town’s story if Elsie is available. Treat it as a real business and community, not a staged attraction. There is no charge to enter town; purchases at the tavern cost extra. Hours can change, so check locally before making a special trip.