Indiana
(260) Area Code 260 — Fort Wayne, Indiana
260 Area Code – Fort Wayne, Indiana: Location, Time Zone & History
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Map of Area Code 260
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History & Cultural Notes
Northeastern Indiana's telephone numbering history changed on January 15, 2002, when the original area code 219, dating back to the 1947 North American Numbering Plan, was split three ways. Fort Wayne and the surrounding region received the new code 260, while northwest Indiana kept 219 and the South Bend area was assigned 574. A permissive dialing period allowed residents to use either 219 or 260 until mandatory cutover on June 14, 2002.
Fort Wayne, the largest city in the numbering area and long known as the "Summit City" for its elevation along the historic Wabash and Erie Canal, anchors a region of roughly 842,051 people across thirteen counties, per the 2020 U.S. Census. The city's manufacturing heritage includes a striking mid-century milestone: in 1960, Fort Wayne-area companies supplied nearly 90 percent of North America's magnet wire, a feat that earned it the nickname "Magnet Wire Capital of the World." Fort Wayne also has a chapter in professional sports history, having hosted the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons from 1948 to 1957 before the franchise relocated to Detroit.
Beyond Fort Wayne, area code 260 serves communities including New Haven, Auburn, Huntington, and Angola. The regional economy today spans several sectors:
- Manufacturing
- Healthcare
- Distribution, transportation and logistics
- Finance and insurance
- Professional and business services