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
The Tecumseh Branch is a 11,500 square foot building in the East State Village in the Northeast side of Fort Wayne. It first opened it’s doors in January, 1927 in building across State Blvd from the current location. It was moved to a former school building at 1411 East State Blvd in the 1940’s, and a brand new building was built at that address in 1990. It was renovated again in 2005. Tecumseh Branch was named to honor Chief Tecumseh (1768-1813), a Shawnee warrior and political leader.
Tecumseh Branch is open six days a week, and has a collection of about 42,000 items. The branch offers a large community meeting room and two study rooms that can be reserved online or by contacting the branch. Tecumseh also offers a public copier and fax machine, and has 15 public computers, four of which are reserved for children under 11. Tecumseh has a lively, interactive children’s area with comfortable seating and a castle that encourages families to talk, read, sing, write and play together!
Upcoming Events
Land Acknowledgement
Tecumseh 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.
The Tecumseh Branch was opened in 1927 and was named after the famous American Indian chief, Tecumseh, who was known for his wisdom and military leadership. Tecumseh, along with his brother Tenskwatawa, better known as “The Prophet,” led the Native Americans in their fight to keep their land. Born near present day Chillicothe, Ohio circa 1768, Tecumseh and his family were immediately caught up in frontier violence during the American Revolution. As his people were pushed further west, Tecumseh rose as a respected war leader. Tenskwatawa began proclaiming the necessity of rejecting acculturation and returning to more traditional ways of living. Tecumseh, in turn, began to call for all indigenous peoples, regardless of tribal affiliation, to join together to halt further American encroachments on their land. Both brothers were frequent visitors to Kiihkayonki (Kekionga) and, later, Fort Wayne.
Bibliography
3. Sugden, John. Tecumseh: A Life. New York. Macmillan. 1998.
This text was developed in consultation with tribal members, whose insights and perspectives were invaluable to its creation. Any errors or oversights in the content are solely the responsibility of the ACPL.