Ocean City in Worcester County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Henry Hotel
Photographed by Adam Margolis, August 9, 2021
1. The Henry Hotel Marker
Inscription.
The Henry Hotel. . Henry's Hotel survives as one of a few 19th-century structures in downtown Ocean City. Built around 1895, the hotel and lot were acquired by Charles T. and Louisa Henry in December 1926. Previously known as "Henry's Colored Hotel," the enterprise was a full service facility catering to visiting African-American tourists and entertainers. Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Willie Harmon are among the numerous entertainers who performed at the nearby Pier Ballroom, but stayed here during years of strict segregation among the boardwalk hotels. The beach was restricted as well during the early to mid 20th century. Reserved periods, known as "Colored Excursion Days," were limited to weeks after the main summer season had passed. In 1942, Charles T. Henry died, and his wife Louisa continued to operate until 1951 when it passed on to their son, Charles Wesley Henry. The hotel remains under African-American ownership.
Henry's Hotel survives as one of a few 19th-century structures in downtown Ocean City. Built around 1895, the hotel and lot were acquired by Charles T. and Louisa Henry in December 1926. Previously known as "Henry's Colored Hotel," the enterprise was a full service facility catering to visiting African-American tourists and entertainers. Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Willie Harmon are among the numerous entertainers who performed at the nearby Pier Ballroom, but stayed here during years of strict segregation among the boardwalk hotels. The beach was restricted as well during the early to mid 20th century. Reserved periods, known as "Colored Excursion Days," were limited to weeks after the main summer season had passed. In 1942, Charles T. Henry died, and his wife Louisa continued to operate until 1951 when it passed on to their son, Charles Wesley Henry. The hotel remains under African-American ownership.
Erected by The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore; Delmarva Low Impact Tourism Experiences, Inc.; Maryland Historical Trust; France-Merrick Foundation; Maryland Heritage Areas Authority; Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council and the Rural Development Center, University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists:
Location. 38° 19.632′ N, 75° 5.313′ W. Marker is in Ocean City, Maryland, in Worcester County. It is at the intersection of South Baltimore Avenue and South Division Street, on the left when traveling north on South Baltimore Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 705 South Baltimore Avenue, Ocean City MD 21842, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Eastern Shore. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic, on the Delmarva Peninsula, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 1,879 times since then and 62 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on January 15, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. 2. submitted on August 10, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on January 15, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California.
