The fascinating history of the recently renovated Oaks Inn dates back to the 17th Century. The Inn resides on property from an original land grant deed to the Benson family by Lord Baltimore in about 1680. The entire plot of land consisted of 740 acres. A 42 acre portion of that property, where the inn now sits, was sold to the Harper Family In 1884 for $5,900. They farmed the land and it became known as Oak Hall. Frederick Harper and his wife, Louise, started running the Inn as a boarding house in 1902 to help with the expense of the farm. Guests would travel by steamship from the Western Shore to nearby Claiborne and then catch the train to the inn. The Harpers sold the farm in 1971 to the German Company Schwaben International who continued to run the Inn as a corporate resort and cultural conference center.