It garnered national and international[4] recognition after the 2010 United States census counted only one resident of the village, Elsie Eiler.

[14][15] Like many other small communities in the Great Plains, it lost its younger residents to cities that were experiencing growth and offering better jobs.

[16] During the 2000 census, the village had a total population of two; only one married couple, Rudy and Elsie Eiler, lived there.

She is required to produce a municipal road plan every year in order to secure state funding for the village's four street lights.

[17][16] Although the village is nearly abandoned, it does have a bar called the Monowi Tavern, operated by Eiler for passing travelers and tourists.

[19] After the 1990 United States census, Eiler had observed that Monowi's population had been miscounted, and contacted radio broadcaster Paul Harvey to publicize the error.