It was said that during this year a group of nomadic Manobo from the frontiers of Agusan found an ideal place for their tempora-fishing retreat and rendezvous.

Soon, the village of Tortosa was founded by two Christian pioneers, Innocentes Paler and Marcelo Dalaguida, who were later on joined by Luis Gupana and a handful of Manobo.

Enticed by the abundance of fish and the good prospect for agriculture, a new wave migrants from the neighboring areas continued to flock to Buenavista.

Efforts of the pioneers paid off, because sometime in early 1920s, Buenavista was declared a regular barrio of the then Municipality of Butuan.

As a barrio, Buenavista was able to form its own law-making body which was locally called Ang Tingug Sa Lungsod, whose members were known as podientes.

"Municipality of Buenavista"[5] through the efforts of Assemblyman Apolonio D. Curato and Governor Jose R. Rosales, Commissioner of Mindanao and Sulu Teofisto Guingona Sr., and Secretary of the Interior, Elpidio Quirino, with a set of appointed officials to serve for a period of one year.