Claim: Philadelphia is home to the first U.S. library, founded in 1731.
Evidence: Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps , and is also the home of many U.S. firsts , including the first library -LRB- 1731 -RRB- , first hospital -LRB- 1751 -RRB- and medical school -LRB- 1765 -RRB- , first Capital -LRB- 1777 -RRB- , first stock exchange -LRB- 1790 -RRB- , first zoo -LRB- 1874 -RRB- , and first business school -LRB- 1881 -RRB-.
Founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin as a library , the Library Company of Philadelphia has accumulated one of the most significant collections of historically valuable manuscripts and printed material in the United States.