Pontiac is located in
Oakland County (is the county seat), and in the
Southeast Region. It lies just north of
Detroit between
Flint and Detroit along Interstate 75. The city also is near Anchor Bay and Lake St Clair. The Pontiac area includes more than 400 nearby lakes.
Pontiac was named after a Native American chief. The region was settled by Europeans in 1818. Pontiac was incorporated as a village in 1837 and received a city charter in 1837. It was an important center for the manufacture of wagons and buggies.
Today, Pontiac is famed for automobile production. The city's top three industries are manufacturing, health services and government, which help support a population of about 66,337 residents. Pontiac covers an area of 20 square miles. Michigan State University has a presence in Pontiac. Located on Saginaw Street are several galleries that feature custom designed furniture, glass art, ceramics and paintings, among other objects.
Pontiac is part of the Detroit, Michigan metro area.
