Why Cuba City?
Though it would make for an interesting story, no connection exists between Cuba City and the island country of the same name. In fact, the original name was actually (very briefly) Yuba City.
A possible explanation is that town founder Solomon Craiglow had great success while mining on the Yuba River in California and chose Yuba City to commemorate his good fortune.
Another origin story is more colorful and was mentioned in a Galena newspaper shortly after the village sprang into existence, as well as in a 1930s interview with the son of town founder, John Stephens. The three men responsible for platting Cuba City in 1875--Stephens, Solomon Craiglow, and Madison Y. Johnson--were discussing the future town's name when an argument ensued. John Stephens offered up the name Stephensville, to which Solomon Craiglow responded, "You b' damned, we won't." Stephens took the exclamation in stride, saying, "That's it. We'll call it Yuba!"
Unfortunately, another Yuba existed in Wisconsin. Keen to find a quick fix, the founders changed the first letter to "C". The official name, according to the post office, was Cuba City when the town was founded in 1875, Cuba in 1895, and back to Cuba City in 1925.
A possible explanation is that town founder Solomon Craiglow had great success while mining on the Yuba River in California and chose Yuba City to commemorate his good fortune.
Another origin story is more colorful and was mentioned in a Galena newspaper shortly after the village sprang into existence, as well as in a 1930s interview with the son of town founder, John Stephens. The three men responsible for platting Cuba City in 1875--Stephens, Solomon Craiglow, and Madison Y. Johnson--were discussing the future town's name when an argument ensued. John Stephens offered up the name Stephensville, to which Solomon Craiglow responded, "You b' damned, we won't." Stephens took the exclamation in stride, saying, "That's it. We'll call it Yuba!"
Unfortunately, another Yuba existed in Wisconsin. Keen to find a quick fix, the founders changed the first letter to "C". The official name, according to the post office, was Cuba City when the town was founded in 1875, Cuba in 1895, and back to Cuba City in 1925.
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