[3] The Washington family built its Mount Vernon plantation on the Potomac River along both banks of Little Hunting Creek during colonial times.

At the time of John Smith's explorations of Virginia in the early 17th century, Little Hunting Creek was the site of a settlement of Indians from the Doeg (Dogue) tribe.

[11] The South Branch (known during colonial times as Carney's Gut, after the tenant there)[12] is located in the southeast portion of what is now the Stratford Landing neighborhood.

The North Branch breaks off from the main creek in a northeasterly direction about 1.5 statute miles (2.4 km) up from the Potomac River entrance, near the northwestern end of Stratford Landing.

[14] Little Hunting Creek remains navigable by canoe or kayak upstream to the North Branch fork or farther, depending on the tides.

Nesting ospreys can often be observed from a road in the Stratford Landing neighborhood, Thomas J. Stockton Parkway, that runs alongside the creek.