The primary objective of the Centre socioculturel Manoir Le Boutillier is to conserve the historic Manoir Le Boutillier and promote its history and the history of John Le Boutillier.About John Le Boutillier:Having learned the ropes of the fishing trade as manager for Robin, Jones and Whitman, John Le Boutillier, a native Jersey Islander, carved out an empire of his own. In addition to fishing outposts in the villages of Anse-au-Griffon and Percé, he owned property and land in Gaspé and Cap-Chat, and a seigniory and fishing outpost in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. Collection stations in Grande-Rivière, Rivière-au-Renard and on the Magdalen Islands rounded out his commercial facilities. He was also a ship-owner, and his extensive fleet plied the waters of the world.Information courtesy ofthe Centre culturel Manoir Le Boutillier.
In 1978, a group of local residents took on the task of saving this imposing structure, a beacon in the heart of the village of Anse-au-Griffon. They founded the Centre socioculturel Manoir Le Boutillier, an organization dedicated to culture. In the early years, the group gave the building a general cultural vocation by making it a place where the arts could come to life and develop within the community. Then, in 1996 the Manoir was renovated and decorated in a manner that recreated the building as it was in its early days.
The Manoir, classified as an historic monument by the provincial government and a national historic site by the federal government, was built over a period of years in the mid-1800s by John Le Boutillier. It served several purposes: fishing outpost, manager’s home, general store and even as staff lodging.