We painted them...and they came... - Cuba, MO

Visitors from the British Isles drove these vintage Austin 7 cars along Route 66.

It is not unusual to see visitors to town carrying cameras and mural brochures as they walk the streets of Cuba along the Route 66 corridor looking at the murals.

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A Viva Cuba member pauses in her flower planting to give visitor directions to a mural.

These custom painted bugs drew a lot of attention as they visited the murals.

Often they have been to the I-44 Visitor Center and gotten a brochure and directions.Others may have noticed murals as they traveled Route 66 through Cuba. Others have read about the murals in various publicity write-ups the murals have received or seen the story on the TV programs Show Me St. Louis or Living St. Louis.

Other times we have car clubs who travel to see the murals, such as the group from England in their antique 30s and 40s Austin Cars. After shipping the cars over from England, they drove them to Chicago to start their Route 66 trip to California. They paused to take photos in front of the A.J. Barnett mural featuring Cuba’s first Model T car.Some members of this group have returned to Cuba.

Car clubs also park along side the Civil War murals and the A.J. Barnett mural during the September Auto Show. We wonder what A.J. Barnett, the owner of the first Model T in Cuba, would think of these brightly colored cars.

What would A.J. Barnett, the owner of the first Model T in Cuba, think of this car?

The LIons Club Car Show in September brings many visitors to town.

And there was the Corvette Car Club that drove each of their cars by the Stingray Corvette in the Bill Wallis mural that is painted on the renovated Phillips 66 station.Each car paused for a photo as they glided by the mural. The group then adjourned to Missouri Hickory BBQ for a great lunch. The club completed their trip to Cuba with a group shot that Guinness World Record Largest Rocking Chair at the Outpost General Store, 4 miles west of Cuba on Route 66.

A caravan of classic corvettes paused for photos in front of Bill Wallis' Stingray.

During the third weekend of October, local organizations come together for the Cuba Fest.Visitors take advantage of narrated tours of the murals in a 1904-style motorized trolley.

The Cuba Fest Trolley Tours are a hit.

Travelers from all over the world who come to the U.S. to travel Route 66, visit Cuba and stop to take pictures.Travelers on the interstate and visitors to the nearby river attractions also visit Cuba.Many of them eat in local restaurants, shop in our businesses, and visit other area attractions. They all add something a little unique to Cuba as they pass through and, hopefully, take away a little greater knowledge of our small slice of the Midwest.