HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
Active Public Library in Historic Madison, Indiana
420 W Main Street, Madison, IN 47250
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free; public library
Access
Wheelchair OK
Library interior, elevator
Equipment
No Photos
Est. 1929 · Madison Society Library founded 1818 · Powell House home for the library 1929-1968 · Current building dedicated April 21, 1968 · Located in Madison Historic District
Library service in Madison, Indiana began with the Madison Society Library, formed by Alexander Meek and other prominent citizens at the Ristine Inn, which opened for business on April 18, 1818 and operated continuously until 1834. The library moved among several locations before settling at the southwest corner of West and Second Streets in 1854. In 1929 a bond issue funded the purchase of the Powell House at Main and Elm, where the library operated through 1930 and onward. Ground was broken for the current facility on March 2, 1966; major construction and renovation were completed over two years, full service was restored in November 1967, and the formal dedication of the present 420 W Main Street building took place on April 21, 1968. The Madison Historic District also contains the Francis Costigan House at 408 West Third Street, a notable example of Costigan's mid-19th-century classical residential architecture.
Sources
Local Madison folklore associates the library with a young male spirit reported to ride the elevator between floors and to occasionally interact with female patrons. The story tells that the spirit lived in the building when it functioned as a residence, was confined to a wheelchair, and the elevator was installed to allow him to move between floors. This account circulates through regional Indiana ghost-folklore sources and is not part of the library's official programming. Visitors should treat the library as an active family-friendly community space; staff have not endorsed or confirmed paranormal claims.
Media Appearances
Visit the active public library at 420 W Main Street in Madison, Indiana, located in the heart of the historic Madison district.
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