Historically, it was seasonally dammed to facilitate the harvest of peat and ice.

[2] John E's Pond is used recreationally for swimming, fishing, and boating.

It is habitat for birds like the northern harrier, and woody shrubs such as sweet pepperbush are common around the margins.

[2] John E's Pond is notable for being one of five American federally-recognized place names with a possessive apostrophe.

[3] The word tug in the term tug hole archaically means peat, which was the main source of fuel on Block Island for early settlers.