Cuba, Missouri

Cuba, Missouri was named for the island of Cuba when the Crawford County settlement was platted in eighteen fifty-seven. The town grew quietly until Route Sixty-Six arrived, and then it found its calling. Today Cuba bills itself as the Route Sixty-Six Mural City.

A community initiative called Viva Cuba has painted about a dozen large outdoor murals across the old brick storefronts along the highway, depicting local and national history. One commemorates Amelia Earhart, who is said to have made an emergency landing in the area. Another marks the visit of actress Bette Davis, who also visited the town.

The murals turned a quiet Ozarks town into one of the Mother Road's most photographed stops.