A post office called Pontiac has been in operation since 1887.[5] The community was named in honor of the Ottawa Indian chief Pontiac, perhaps via Pontiac, Michigan.[6]
The town is on a ridge above the lake at an elevation of about 820 feet. The lake has a normal surface elevation of 654 feet.[1] The town consists of a post office, a marina and campgrounds on the lake, a restaurant, and a church. Pontiac is accessed via Missouri Route W from Missouri Route 5 south of Gainesville.[7]
