Peter Downman & Gérard Leduc
Potton Heritage Association

The Potton Heritage Association is pleased to announce the re-release of its publication, Village Tour, which will enable you to learn more about Mansonville, which is named after the Loyalist, Robert Manson, who settled in Potton around 1796. First published in 1995, the tour has been re-released in cooperation with the Municipality of Potton, Reilly House, and with the support of Pierre Paradis, Member of the National Assembly for Brome-Missisquoi. It contains a wealth of information on the history and architecture of the village.

BEGINNINGS
The settlement of Potton Township commenced around 1795. Mansonville dates to 1803, when Joseph Chandler and John Lewis purchased a lot and constructed a sawmill. The settlement appears on an 1839 military map by Col. Charles Gore. At that time, it was called "Manson Bridge." The name "Mansonville" first appeared on a regional map in 1845 as "Potton Corner-Mansonville."

In 1811, Robert Manson purchased Chandler's mill and built a grist mill. By 1864, there were five mills operating on the river. In 1824, William Manson, Robert's brother, opened a store, which also housed a tavern. By 1836, Christopher Armstrong had opened a hotel offering "entertainment for man and beast." James Manson bought that hotel in 1866 and called it "Manson's Hotel." It later became known as the "Mansonville Hotel" and from 1918 to 1958 was owned by the Heath family. It was quite a "hive of activity" before being levelled after a fire in 1983.

MANSONVILLE COMMON
Another landmark in the heart of the village is "Mansonville Common" or "Place Manson," a green space given to the town by William Manson around 1850. Mansonville was incorporated as the Municipality of the Township of Potton in 1855.

Mansonville Common, c.1905.
(Photo: Farfan Collection)

James Manson started a General Store in 1824, and in 1834 built the Town Block on the site of today's Town Hall. The building housed a branch of the Eastern Township Bank (today the CIBC), the town offices, a Customs House, and a hairdresser. It burned down in 1910. Electricity first appeared in Mansonville in 1903, thanks to Charles Brouillette's hydro electric plant. A catastrophic flood in 1927 destroyed the plant and the town was deprived of electricity for several months.

ORFORD MOUNTAIN RAILWAY
With the extension of the Orford Mountain Railway from Potton Springs, Quebec, to North Troy, Vermont, in 1906, a station was built on Bellevue Road. Later, the Canadian Pacific Railway acquired the line, operating it until 1936 when it was discontinued.

Over the years, several churches have been built in the village, beginning with the Baptist Church in 1847, the Anglican in 1856, the Methodist (later United) in 1879, and finally the Catholic Church in 1880. The first English school opened in 1807; others followed. The first French school began around 1880 and stood where the Canadian Legion and the CLSC are now located.

THE MANSON FAMILY
In 1875, David, one of James Manson's sons, built his home, "Manson House" at the corner of Vale Perkins and Bellevue Roads. He operated the family store and rebuilt the second Town Block, which burned again in 1923. A prominent local figure, Manson proudly perpetuated his family's century-long role in the social, political, and economic life the village.

Other well-known families included the Borights, the Nelsons, and the Sheldons, who were owners of a farm and store, today's Axep. Mansonville had several other stores including William Oliver's, as well another hotel, the Windsor, which did not last very long.

Today, Mansonville retains its village charm, but also offers modern services, including a Tourist Bureau in Reilly House (450) 292-3109. A special attraction is the annual Potton Multicultural Festival.

Village Tour is available free of charge at the Tourist Bureau and at the Town Hall in Mansonville.