How did Cuba, Missouri become "Route 66 Mural City"? - Cuba, MO

Viva Cuba designed the Route 66 Mural City logo.

Did you ever wonder how Cuba, Missouri became the “Route 66 Mural City”? After Peoples Bank, with the assistance of Viva Cuba, started “painting the town” with Cuba’s first historical mural in 2001, Viva Cuba adopted a mural project. The Viva Cuba beautification committee’s goal was to complete 12 outdoor murals by 2007, which would eventually lead to a a senate resolution and a logo to identify the project.

Local artist Shelly Smith Steiger was responsible for bringing Canadian muralist Michelle Loughery to be the lead artist on the first mural that commemorated the bank’s 100th anniversary.

Searching for an identity for the project, Loughery suggested that Viva Cuba look to Cuba’s mayor, as well as state officials. In May 2001, Mayor John Koch presented a proclamation, which was approved by the board of alderman, officially declaring Cuba as the “Route 66 Mural City.”

In the fall of 2002, Senator Sarah Steelman sponsored a state senate resolution proclaiming the city of Cuba as the “Route 66 Mural City.”

State Senator Sarah Steelman signed the resolution making Cuba the Mural City.

But what’s a catchy slogan without a logo? In 2002, the first logo was designed by graphic artist Steve Barreca with highlights of the murals inside the CUBA lettering.

This was the first Mural City logo that Viva Cuba developed in 2002.

Later, Viva Cuba had a backlit display, designed by a marketing company in St. Louis, installed at the Cuba Visitor Center. Included in the display was the shield design, which was then used on Cuba’s population signs.

Viva Cuba designed this light board and logo display for the Visitor Center in 2006.

Viva Cuba now uses the trademarked shield logo on stickers, brochures, art cards, Mural City candy bars, t-shirts, ads—anything that promotes the mural project. The sale of logo products provides money for the on-going maintenance of the Viva Cuba Murals. The Cuba Free Press, with Viva Cuba’s permission, also displays the logo on its masthead. Although Viva Cuba owns the rights to the Route 66 Mural City logo, businesses and organizations wishing to use it, may obtain permission from the Viva Cuba Committee by emailing them through the website. The logo is not to be used on commercial products.

Cuba, MO has its own Mural City candy bar.

The designation of Cuba “Route 66 Mural City” makes our small town stand out from the pack and brings attention, tourism, and recognition to Cuba.