▁named . ▁The ▁house ▁once ▁had ▁a ▁large ▁bar n , ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁where ▁Lee ▁Hunter ▁school ▁was ▁later ▁built . ▁The ▁Baker ▁family ▁moved ▁into ▁the ▁house ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁and ▁purchased ▁it ▁from ▁the ▁Hunter ▁family ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁ ▁Civil ▁War ▁era ▁Although ▁S ik eston ▁was ▁a ▁small ▁village ▁during ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁its ▁position ▁at ▁the ▁rail road ▁and ▁highway ▁intersection ▁gave ▁it ▁strateg ic ▁significance . ▁ ▁Ar ound ▁July ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁Confeder ate ▁forces ▁of ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁G ide on ▁Johnson ▁P ill ow ▁planned ▁to ▁link ▁up ▁with ▁units ▁commanded ▁by ▁Ster ling ▁Price ▁and ▁Benjamin ▁McC ul lo ch ▁for ▁an ▁advance ▁on ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁using ▁the ▁S ik eston - area ▁road ▁of ▁King sh igh way . ▁ ▁In ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁this ▁advance , ▁Confeder ate ▁General ▁Jeff ▁Thompson ▁gathered ▁Missouri ▁state ▁troops ▁and ▁irregular s ▁near ▁S ik eston ; ▁he ▁ro bb ed ▁a ▁bank ▁in ▁nearby ▁Char l eston ▁to ▁pay ▁men ▁and ▁buy ▁arms ▁and ▁supplies . ▁ ▁Leg end ▁has ▁it ▁that ▁he ▁hid ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁money ▁in ▁S ik eston ▁under ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁o ak ▁trees ▁at ▁the ▁corner ▁of ▁New ▁Madrid ▁Street ▁and ▁King sh igh way . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁General ▁P ill ow ▁pushed ▁a ▁column ▁of ▁troops ▁from ▁New ▁Madrid