Hours
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
10 a.m. - 6 p.m
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Closed
Curbside Hours
M-Th
Fri
Sat
Sun
10 a.m. - Noon & 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
10 a.m. - Noon & 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
10 a.m. - Noon & 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed
The Story Behind the Branch
Legend says that Pontiac was named after the street upon which the first location opened on October 17, 1922. The reality is that the third branch of ACPL was named after Odawa Chief Pontiac. It has faithfully served the south east side of Fort Wayne for over 100 years and three separate buildings. The current location was completed in 2004. It is nestled between two historical churches and offers a nod to their architectural significance with a high-ceilinged entrance and soaring arched window topped by a lovely round stained glass window. The pillar murals by Phresh Laundry are delightful pops of color. Pontiac is steps from a city bus hub, the Urban League and Hanna-Creighton BrightPoint. It boasts one of the first branch StoryScapes to promote early literacy through reading, singing, writing, talking and playing for our youngest patrons. Additionally, Pontiac features a Maker Lab equipped with a 3D printer, Cricut Maker 3, sewing machine, and other tools. Patrons of all ages can learn to use this equipment through various programs and during open hours. The public computers are popular service utilized by the community.
Upcoming Events
Land Acknowledgement
Pontiac is located within the ancestral and traditional territory of the Miami, Potawatomi, Shawnee, Delaware and other tribal nations, ceded through multiple treaties with the United States of America.
In 1926, the library branch at 1023 East Pontiac Street was named for Chief Pontiac, also known as Obwaandi-eyaag. Pontiac was a chief of the Odawa/Ottawa tribe in the mid-eighteenth century. It is believed he was born between 1712 and 1720 in what is now Michigan, and died in 1769, when he was assassinated near the French town of Cahokia in Illinois. He gained renown for leading a revolt of united indigenous tribes in the Great Lakes region against British rule in the wake of the French and Indian War. On May 7, 1763, Pontiac launched an attack on Fort Detroit with some 900 warriors and laid siege through October, though he never occupied it. Allied tribes took control of nine of the eleven British military outposts in the region, including Post Miami in what is now Fort Wayne. The tribes that held these forts eventually warmed to the British and held the forts in opposition to the American government during the Revolutionary War.
Bibliography:
1. Griswold, Bert J. Pictorial History of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Chicago: Robert O. Law, 1917.
This text was developed in consultation with tribal members, whose insights and perspectives were invaluable to its creation.