Henry's Beach was the site of a popular day resort for African Americans and the general public. Business woman Lorraine Henry, originally from Dames Quarter in Somerset County, and her husband George purchased the land in 1952 and developed the only such resort in the state at that time. Families enjoyed a pleasant atmosphere including ball games, bathing, fishing, crabbing, and home-style cooking, as well as the premier black entertainers and musicians of the period.