The American Philosophical Society Library is rumored to be haunted by its founder, Benjamin Franklin, who some say appears as a ghost walking through the building with a stack of books or climbing down from his own statue. There is no factual information about a haunted description, but the association with Franklin is a common anecdotal claim found on websites like Pennsylvania Haunted Houses. Stories suggest that Benjamin Franklin's spirit lingers in the building he founded. Accounts describe seeing his apparition climbing down from his statue or even walking the halls with a pile of books. Some versions of the tale include Franklin's ghost dancing in the Historic District, which is adjacent to the society. The American Philosophical Society was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743, making it the oldest learned society in the United States, according to Monticello.org.