Well before construction of the railroad, Girard's location along Boeuf River provided a valuable means for transporting both labor as well as agricultural goods and supplies to markets downriver such as New Orleans.

"[3] Stephen Girard's hope that Boeuf River could serve as a navigable shipping channel to New Orleans did prove to be true.

Early in the war, rail use was still possible for transporting soldiers from Girard to stations to the east, but was later tactically destroyed by Union troops to prevent usage by the Confederacy as the Siege of Vicksburg began.

John Ray, a Whig party supporter who had opposed secession while becoming a landholder with considerable property to the east of Girard, pushed for an alternative location.

[11] As the railroad continually became a more prominent mode of transporting crops and commuting settlers, Girard's location on Boeuf River further decreased in value.

As settlements developed to its east and west, Girard continued to lose significance as a commercial hub throughout the 20th century.