Unidentified artist (signed “C.H.B.”) 

View of Buenavista, Michigan, from the Ferry (Saginaw County) 

circa mid-to-late 19th century 
Watercolor, 9 1/2 × 14 in. 

Frame size: 13 1/2 x 18 in. 

A panoramic view of Buenavista, Michigan, depicting the emerging industrial landscape along the Saginaw River during the 19th century. Viewed from across the water, the composition presents a bustling waterfront lined with factories, mills, warehouses, residences, and other buildings, their smokestacks sending plumes of dark smoke into the expansive sky. Sailing vessels, steam-powered boats, and river traffic emphasize the importance of the waterway to the area’s industrial development and commercial activity. In the foreground, figures on horseback and on foot gather along the riverbank near a ferry landing, providing a sense of scale and highlighting the river crossing as an important point of access to the community. 

Rendered in a muted palette of grays, browns, and soft earth tones, the scene captures both the breadth of the river and the activity of the growing industrial settlement. The carefully observed architectural details, smoke rising above the factories, and vessels moving along the waterfront offer a compelling record of Michigan’s industrial expansion during the 19th century. The work is inscribed “View of Buenavista, Mich. — From the Ferry” and bears the initials “C.H.B.” in the lower right corner. Although the artist remains unidentified, the drawing provides a valuable historical glimpse of the Saginaw River waterfront and the industrial community of Buenavista during a period of significant economic growth.