People’s Bank
506 W Washington
Cuba, MO
A.J. (Alva James) Barnett, the first cashier of Peoples Bank, was appropriately picked as a subject for the first mural, which was meant to commemorate the 100th anniversary of People’s Bank in 2001. This mural would be the first in Viva Cuba’s mural project, which would set a goal of 12 murals by 2007, Cuba’s 150th anniversary.
Barnett, the first cashier and president of Peoples Bank for 39 years from 1920 to 1959, was also mayor of Cuba for ten years. The first city lighting system was installed during his first term in 1922. The mural shows him cranking the first Model T Ford in Cuba. In the car, left to right are friends Katie Hunter, Billy Jackson, and A.J.’s children James and Mildred Barnett. James Barnett is the father of Jim Barnett, the present chairman of Peoples Bank.
Although Barnett was a frugal man, he would often take money out of his pocket to loan to people. An indication of his frugality was the navy blue suit that he wore every day until the material was shiny.
The building in the mural at the SW corner of Smith and Washington was the site of the bank in the early 1900s. It is the large blue building where attorney Steve Paulus is now located. An earlier bank behind the Hayes Shoe store burned.
A.J. Barnett owned not only the first Model T in Cuba, but also a Model T distributorship in Cuba.
The artist for this mural was Michelle Loughery, artist, organizer, and educator in public art with over 20 years of experience in outdoor murals. She is from Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. On the Model T mural both her daughter and local artist Shelly Smith Steiger assisted her. This was artist Steiger’s first experience with outdoor murals. In 2001, Michelle and her daughter stayed in Cuba at Wallace House during the painting of the mural.
