▁the ▁Little ▁River ▁D rain age ▁District ▁was ▁formed ▁to ▁rec laim ▁the ▁land . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁world ' s ▁largest ▁d rain age ▁project , ▁moving ▁more ▁earth ▁than ▁completed ▁during ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 4 1 , ▁Spanish ▁expl orer ▁Hern ando ▁de ▁S oto ▁may ▁have ▁stood ▁upon ▁the ▁S ik eston ▁R idge , ▁although ▁some ▁historical ▁references ▁dispute ▁this , ▁bel ieving ▁that ▁he ▁tra ve led ▁further ▁south ▁than ▁S ik eston . ▁The ▁area ▁was ▁claimed ▁by ▁the ▁French ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁La ▁Louis iane , ▁and ▁they ▁c eded ▁it ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 3 ▁to ▁the ▁Spanish ▁after ▁being ▁defeated ▁by ▁Britain ▁in ▁the ▁Seven ▁Years ' ▁War . ▁In ▁ 1 7 8 9 , ▁by ▁order ▁of ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁Spain , ▁an ▁over land ▁route ▁was ▁laid ▁out ▁to ▁connect ▁the ▁cities ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis ▁and ▁New ▁Orleans . ▁This ▁front ier ▁road ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁El ▁Cam ino ▁Real ▁or ▁King ' s ▁Highway . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 3 ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁acquired ▁this ▁area ▁under ▁the ▁Louisiana ▁P urchase . ▁More ▁Americans ▁began ▁to ▁sett le ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁river . ▁From ▁December ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 1 1 ▁to ▁February ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁struck ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 8 1 1 – 1 2 ▁New ▁Madrid ▁earth qu akes