Little Pool was part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which connected Cumberland to Georgetown and ran parallel to the Potomac River. The principal cargo hauled on the canal heading east was coal, while westbound boats carried various cargoes such as furniture, produce, and fertilizer. The canal operated until the flood of 1924 forced its abandonment. Little Pool is nearly one mile long and was formed by transferring the towpath from the mainland to an island in the Potomac River. A stop gate was located at the end of Little Pool so that it did not have to be drained during the winter.