Originally a vigilante group, the Anti-Horse Thief Society was formed here in March 1853 by area landowners to recover stolen horses and prosecute the thieves. Horse theft was a serious offense in the antebellum era. Trustees nominated a captain and riders who received a $10 reward upon the capture of a thief or a stolen horse. As horses lost their importance in society in the early 1900's, the organization evolved into a social club. Its annual banquet, held each April, celebrates the continuity of this Adams County tradition.