Cuba, Missouri

Cuba, Missouri
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Settled	1857
Population	3,356 (2010 census)
Area (sq mi)	3.20 mi²
Current mayor	Cody Leathers

Cuba (also known as "Route 66 Mural City") is a city in Crawford County, Missouri. It had a population of 3,356 at the 2010 census, making it the largest town situated entirely within the county.

History

The town of Cuba was first laid out in December 1857, in anticipation of the arrival of the Pacific Railroad, then being extended southwest from St. Louis. The first business operating in the area was a joint post office and store run by George Jamison, who called it "Amanda" in honor of his wife, and it was intended at first to extend that name to the new community as well. However, locals eventually decided to name it for the island of Cuba, which a few of them had visited while returning from California after the 1849 Gold Rush. The Jamison couple remained a part of the community's tradition, though, with a festival held on June 2 (Amanda Jamison's birthday) in recent years.

Though the actual population of Cuba grew only slowly, not surpassing the 1,000 mark until the 1930s, the railroad brought prosperity, as did the arrival of U.S. Route 66 in the 1920s. A number of service businesses flourished serving the highway travelers, and the town drew several high-profile visitors over the years, including actress Bette Davis, aviator Amelia Earhart, and President Harry S. Truman.

After being superseded by the construction of Interstate 44 along the same route, Route 66 was decommissioned in the 1980s; however, community volunteers and artists worked to commemorate the role that highway played in the city's history, forming the Viva Cuba Project and painting a series of murals depicting their interaction on buildings across the downtown section. These gained considerable interest, leading the Missouri legislature to officially designate Cuba as "Route 66 Mural City."

Today, Cuba has a population of over 3,000 and continues to be a significant magnet for tourism within Missouri, especially for those with an interest in Route 66 and its history.

Geography

Cuba is located along Interstate 44 in north-central Crawford County, crossed from north to south by Missouri State Highway 19. Historic U.S. 66 parallels the interstate just to the southeast, crossing through the central business district. Cuba is about seven miles northwest of Steelville and twelve miles northeast of St. James. Its exact coordinates are 38°03’47”N 91°24’12”W.

The city lies between the relatively open "prairie" lands to the north and the comparatively rugged upper Meramec valley to the south. An artificial reservoir, Indian Lake, is located about a mile to the northwest. Cuba has a total area of 3.20 square miles, and an average elevation of 1,001 feet.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Cuba had a total of 3,356 inhabitants, grouped into 1,385 households, with a population density of 1,048.8 people per square mile. This figure represented a slight increase from the 2000 census, when Cuba had a population of 3,230. 95.95% of the inhabitants were White, 0.27% were African-American, 0.66% were Native American, 0.18% were Asian, 1.49% were from some other race, and 1.46% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 3.40% of the population.

The median age in Cuba was 35.5 years, with 26.1% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 9.7% between 18 and 24 years old, 24.2% between 25 and 44, 23.3% between 45 and 64, and 16.6% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 46.7% male, 53.3% female.

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Cuba had a median household income of $19,955, and a median family income of $29,896. The unemployment rate was 10.5%. The per capita income was $14,579. About 39.5% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 50.6% of people under the age of 18 and 25.8% of people 65 years old or older.

Education

Cuba and the surrounding area are served by the Crawford County R-II School District, a K-12 public institution with a total enrollment of about 1,400 students. Its mascot is the Wildcats, and the school colors are yellow and black.

The city also has one Roman Catholic school, Holy Cross, serving grades PK through 8.

Community Life

Much of the local activity in Cuba revolves around the old Route 66. Many old landmarks along the highway, such as Bob's Gasoline Alley and the Wagon Wheel Motel and Cafe (the latter included on the National Register of Historic Places), are still in operation today and are particular draws for tourists following the route. The series of murals on the downtown buildings are popular, as is the Viva Cuba garden at the corner of Historic U.S. 66 and Highway 19.

In addition to these attractions, Cuba also has a number of antique and specialty shops in its downtown section, along with the Crawford County Historical Society and Museum (with an attached Veterans Memorial), and the Midwest Travel Plaza features the Antique & Collectible Toys on Wheels Collection. Nearby points of interest include Meramec Springs Park, Onondaga Cave, the wineries at St. James, and the "World's Largest Rocking Chair," four miles west of Cuba on old Route 66, which was constructed in 2008 and stands 42 feet high and 20 feet wide.

Annual events in Cuba include the Spring Craft Fair in April, the Crawford County Fair in July, and the Cuba Fest in October; the latter includes a bicycle race known as the "Cuban Gravel Crisis."