Cuba's History

By Percy Pascoe
And some from the news files of the Cuba Free Press


HOW CUBA GOT ITS NAME

One pioneer by the name of George Jamison wanted to name the town after his wife, Amanda - he already had a post office named after her just a mile and a half west of town. Someone suggested it be named after the island of Cuba - it was much in the news at that time due to the brutish rule of Spain over its people, evoking much sympathy among the Americans. (There was even talk of the United States buying the island.)

The dilemma was resolved in a novel way. Although the details have been lost in the mists of time, the story is that a stick of wood - of what species, how tall and of what girth, we don't know - was stood on end, and if it fell a certain way, the name would be Cuba. Another version says that a stick was tossed into the air with the same rules as in the other story.

Thus it was that in 1857, the beginning of Cuba was less than auspicious. Yet, there was a hint of boldness, of innovation in its style. This town had a spirit, an energy and a vision that over the years would set it apart from most small rural communities - and large ones too. These attributes would lead it to successes far beyond the wildest expectations - even dreams - of Jamison and his co-founder Wesley Smith, of whom it is thought to have come up with the suggestion of Cuba for the name.

Today, the city has a mayor-council form of government, with city wide planning and zoning, along with modern, well-trained police and fire departments.

WATER

Pure, potable water in abundance has played a great part in Cuba's history. Jerome Calkins, a farmer/businessman, drilled many wells in Cuba. These wells were an important factor in the early development of the town. More wells and more storage tanks were added over the years.

Today, Cuba has four deep wells, and three water towers with a storage capacity of 675,000 gallons above ground. The city daily pumps about one-half million gallons of the purest, best tasting water to be found anywhere. That's important if you drink the stuff. It's fluoridated, too, for stronger, healthier teeth! The city can pump as many as 750,000 gallons of water a day, if needed. That's very important if you have to fight a fire.

In 1996, Cuba was named second only to Branson as the Missouri town having water of the best quality and quantity. Nationally, Cuba sits in one of seven regions that has been designated the best for quality of air and water. Cuba also has a modern, state-monitored sewage treatment plant.

ENERGY RESOURCES

Cuba offers you the choice of modern energy for heating, lighting, and cooking: electricity or natural gas, both are municipally owned. Propane gas and fuel oil also are available from private suppliers.

SWIFT, MODERN ROADS

Cuba's location was served well by the Mother Road, Route 66, and its predecessors, and now by Interstate 44. Highway 19, a major north and south artery, serves as a major route south to the recreational center of the Ozark Mountains, renowned for its floating streams, campgrounds and some of the most beautiful scenery in the nation.

Highway 19 south between Cuba and Steelville is scheduled for major re-alignment in the near future, including a completely re-located modern bridge near Stellville, the county seat.

Cuba is just 80 miles from St. Louis with all it offers: major league hockey, baseball and football, the world renowned Arch, one of the nation's finest zoos, the Muny Opera, Laclede's Landing, the Science Center, the Planetarium, the Jewel Box and much more.

AIR TRANSPORTATION

Every small town fortunate enough to have an airport can offer speedy connections for its citizens, businessmen and industries. Cuba is in the process of completely rebuilding its facility, including a new concrete runway 60 feet wide and 3,400 feet long, at a total cost of $900,000. This should be finished by 1997. St. Louis Lambert International Airport is just a couple of hours away.

EDUCATION

A renovation of the elementary and middle school facility and the construction of a new modern high school, all at a cost of more than $4 million, was recently completed. The district has received the coveted full accreditation of the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges.

The University of Missouri at Rolla, just 21 miles southwest on I-44, is one of the leading engineering schools in the nation. The Rolla Technical Institute offers vocational education in almost every field.

The Recklein Memorial Library in Cuba is a privately endowed facility but open to the public. It contains more than 90,000 volumes and participates in the Regional Library System. There are summer reading programs for young children.

MEDICAL SERVICES

I-44 connects the town of Cuba to two major medical hospitals within 20 miles. Several metropolitan hospitals are accessible by the local professional ambulance service manned with highly skilled Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and, if necessary, by the fast ARCH medical helicopters. Cuba also has three medical clinics, two dentists, two chiropractors, one optometrist and an infusion supply facility. We also have an excellent ambulance facility.

The county is installing an Enhanced 911 emergency communications system that will serve all law enforcement departments in the county and fire departments, as well as emergency medical services. It should be ready in 1997.

HOUSING

Cuba has a variety of housing units available, from modern rental apartments and duplexes, to new subdivisions, that will fit most any financial level, in the central part of town or in a rural setting. You also can purchase a piece of property and have one of the area's competent contractors build your dream home in the setting of your choosing.

SENIOR SERVICES

Two multi-million dollar modern professional nursing homes serve the Cuba area. There are three separate senior citizen and handicapped accessible housing developments, with many other housing and nursing home facilities outside the city's boundary.

The Cuba Senior Center, next door to the Cuba City Hall, serves hot lunches at reduced prices, as well as delivers them to the homebound. Social activities and information of interest to senior citizens also is available and are an important part of the center.

TAXES, A NASTY WORD HERE

If you move to Cuba from any distance, you will be quite pleasantly surprised to learn that there are no city taxes on property or real estate; there is a one-cent city general tax and a one-half cent city transportation tax, specifically used for maintaining the streets. County property and real estate taxes are very low and even the school district taxes are uncommonly low.


RECREATION, ENTERTAINMENT

The annual Crawford County Fair is one of the bigger attractions held in Cuba. This is its 50th year in modern times, although it goes back many more years to the first one in 1902. These four days are filled with family fun, carnival rides, professional entertainment, contests, 4-H entries and an exciting auction of beef raised by 4-H boys and girls, as well as a fair queen and prince and princess contest.

A $400.000 60-acre piece of property was recently donated to the City of Cuba by Ernie Hood, to be used by the county fair board for year-round activities and entertainment. It was used for the county fair, for the first time in 1996.

The Cuba Rough Riders, a saddle club for young and old, holds several horse shows each year, including a rodeo and gaited horse competition. They have completely renovated their entire arena into one of the best in this area.

Cuba has an indoor theater as well as a drive-in movie and a bowling alley. Fishing and hunting opportunities abound in the area's popular rivers and wooded areas, along with the floating or rafting. The turkey and deer seasons are very popular in the county, although there's plenty of quail, squirrel and rabbit too.

You can meet a lot of friendly people on the professionally designed 9-hole golf course and country club with watered greens just a short distance south of Cuba off Highway 19 on Highway O.

The Recklein Memorial Auditorium hosts many entertainment events during the year, as well as the annual Crafts and Arts Show put on by the Cuba Arts Council. This organization often brings professional entertainment to perform in the auditorium.

CHURCHES

There are 15 churches inside Cuba to fill the spiritual needs of all citizens. The members are friendly and welcome each newcomer with warmth and fellowship.


SERVICE CLUBS

Almost every club to fit the needs of young and adult alike can be found in Cuba, including Explorers, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. There are several very active 4-H clubs with enthusiastic leaders. Numerous adult level clubs serve in and outside Cuba.

INDUSTRY

It is here that the greatest demonstration of the drive and energy of Cuba is best revealed. The townspeople were energized in 1984 and a concerted effort was begun to dramatically increase the industrial base. The New York Times, in its story on Cuba, called "the mouse that roared." And that aptly describes this town.

Today, Cuba and its inhabitants live in a fish bowl - observed, admired, even emulated by rural communities near and far. Cuba, Missouri, has become the ideal, the model, the innovator in the area of rural economic revitalization - setting the standards for others to follow. When people talk about rural economic growth, they talk about Cuba, Missouri.