Building

Budy was once a village located in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, in the municipality of Michałowo, with origins dating back to the 18th century, when ash was burned in the area on the orders of the Jałówka manor. The name of the village likely comes from "budnicy" (woodcutters), who were involved in forest clearing. In the 19th century, the village began to develop, and after the emancipation of the peasants in 1869, 20 families received extensive land as their own property. Historical data shows that in 1900, Budy was part of the Wołkowysk district, and by 1921, it was home to 192 people. After World War II, the village struggled with migration issues, which accelerated its depopulation. In the 1960s and 1970s, Budy had a shop that served as a meeting place for residents. Most people were employed in agriculture, and the village was inhabited by Polish Belarusians, giving it a Belarusian cultural character. When the construction of the Siemianówka Reservoir began in the 1960s, the construction of new buildings in Budy was prohibited, contributing to its depopulation. Between 1979 and 1982, most residents sold their farms and moved to Białystok and Hajnówka. Today, the village has almost completely disappeared after the area was flooded by the reservoir, and in 2011, only 4 people lived there. The remnants of Budy include a few farms and temporary stays in holiday cottages built in the area. Interestingly, when water levels in the reservoir are low, an island can be seen, which was once the highest point in the village. Budy is thus an example of a historical place that has undergone significant transformation, now standing only as a memory of what was once a vibrant community.