Piris was its former name. It was a mere hamlet of the municipality of Guinanyagan, province of Quezon and remained as such for quite a number of years until it finally became a municipality. Buenavista is now its official name which means beautiful view. Its original name was Piri as engraved in the oldest church bell which was donated by one Don Jose Casal in the year 1866. It used to be located in the Sitio of Pinagbayanan situated in the western side of the Piris River which is about one a half kilometers away from the present town site. This place became the choice of the founders who were a mixture of Bicolanos and Visayans to enable them to easily escape to the ferocious Moro raids that were rampant during the olden times. When the raids finally subsided, the barrio of Piris was transferred to its present location but nobody could tell the exact date of its establishment thereat. The word Piri was changed to Piris and later re-changed to Piris by the young generation from pronunciation facility. The persons who are still remembered to have held heading position in the locality were Apolinario Yakaba, Florentino Nepomocena and Feliciano Roldan, having been tenyente absolutes who held the same until the American Regime.
Juan Pedro Aristoteles, a Bicolano, who became totally blend after having some education, and another man from Batangas, who is still remembered in the name of Senior Viscocho, were the district Maestros Municipalities until the early part of American Regime. No historical sites, structure, buildings and old ruins were kept, except the remaining parts of the posts of the so called "Tribunal" building which was burned by the Spanish soldiers.
In the year 1918, and ex-Spanish soldier in the name of Guillermo Gonzalves who was once the collector of tribune during the Spanish regime, came to Piris with an American surveyor named Mr. Waler Solomon and had a big portion of both the public and private lands in the locality surveyed. The ex-soldier alleged that various cabezas of Piris were not able to settle the tribune under their respective responsibilities. A big agrarian conflict arose. The innocent land owners were not stopped in their pursuit in spite of the efforts exerted by Guillermo Gonzalves and his surveyor. The case was brought to the court of Justice and remained unsettled for a period of fourteen years. Finally the Supreme Court ruled that the areas that were claimed rightfully were to be awarded to the claimants and the areas actually being occupied belonged to the actual occupants.
In the month of October 1936, some civic minded natives launched the proposition of making the place a municipality. The residents signed a petition for the separation of Piris from the mother municipality. A group of seven members was formed and was commissioned to undertake a delegation to the Office of the Secretary of the Interrior for the purpose. The group was composed of the late Don Feliciano Roldan, Mariano San Jose, Honorio Hutamares, Teodorico Dosto, Ciriaco Panaba and Atty. Antonio Pasta and Francisco San Jose. The outbreak of the second global war marked the failure of the offices concerned to convert the place into a regular municipality.
After the election of Hon. Gaudencio V. Vera to the Office of the Congressman for the second district of Quezon Province, Mr. Francisco San Jose, a native and public teacher of the place, was instructed by Congressman Vera to help prepare the necessary papers pertaining to the seperation of Piris from Guinayangan. When the papers were prepared, House Bill No. 83 which was sponsored by the energetic solon was passed by both House of Congress and became Republic Act No. 495 under Proclamation No. 201 of his Excellency, President Elpidio Quirino. The corporate existence of Piris in the name Buenavista, the 37th municipality of Quezon province, was fixed on the 26th day of August, 1950. A pompous inauguration was celebretad by the town people under the leadership of Domingo Reyes and late Mr. Yao Ching Kio, wealthy businessman of the place, with Congressman Vera as the guest of honor. When the municipality of Buenavista was inaugurated on August 26, 1950,
it belonged to the seventh class. Six month thereafter, due to some increase in revenue, it rose to sixth class. Late Francisco Falqueza was appointed Municipal Mayor and held office beginning August 26, 1950 up to December 31, 1951.
Buenavista has a total land area of 16113.0217 hectares and situated in the Bondoc Peninsula. At present Buenavista belongs to fifth class municipality. Its population is 21.355 as per latest official census and it has 37 barangays. Its climate is classified as type 3 which means the rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. The original nature of the place said to have came from the bicol Region. The main dialect is Filipino, although the Bicolanos, Visayan and Ilocano dialect are being commonly used in the barangays.
The majority of the inhabitants are Roman Catholics. The Patronal town Fiesta is being held yearly on August 9 and 10.
The municipality of Buenavista is located on the eastern part of Quezon Province. It is bounded on the Northern part of Guinayangan, Quezon , on the south by the town of San Narciso, on the western part by Lopez and Catanauan and on the east by Ragay Gulf towards Bicol Region. The municipality is about 226 km Southeast of Metro Manila and about 114 km. Southeast of provincial Capital, the city of Lucena. It is accessible by land via Lopez and Catanauan or in water transportation via Guinayangan from Lucena City.
Buenavista is primarily upland municipality characterized by ragged terrain, generally hilly or mountainous with high plains, valleys and swamps. It lies on different slopes from 0-15% and above. There are three (3) types of soil that covers the municipality. These are Faraon Clay, Catanauan Clay loam and Bolinao Clay loam. This is the most extensive upland soil of the province mostly found in Bondoc Peninsula. Faraon Clay loam covers about 13,133.75 hectares which is 85% of the total land area of the municipality, 10%is said to be catanauan Clay loam and 5% of the total land area in Bolinao Clay loam. The greater portion of the soil types is presently utilized for grazing. The low lying hills are planted to coconut and seasonal crops like corn, root crops, and fruit bearing trees.
Catanauan Clay loam is found in the valley is used mostly on paddy rice field, while Bolinao Clay loam is presently devoted to coconut, bananas and other crops and some part has a mineral deposit like in Brgy. Bulo and Cadlit.