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The Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau recently announced this year's Covered Bridge Photo Contest winner.
According to a news release, the winning image will be featured as the 2024 Covered Bridge Puzzle. This year's puzzle will be released in the fall as the fourteenth installment in the Visitors Bureau's limited-edition series, and will feature the Johnson Covered Bridge for the first time.
Tony Berard's snapshot of the Johnson Bridge in Columbia County was selected as this year's overall winner. Berard taught mathematics at King's College for 40 years.
"During breaks from teaching, he experimented with travel photography," the news release said. "Upon his retirement in 2012, he had more time to pursue photography as a serious hobby. He joined the Hazleton Camera Club, where he has remained an active member, having served as president in 2023. Tony and his wife live in Conyngham and enjoy visiting and photographing the historic covered bridges of Columbia and Montour counties."
Several other photographers were recognized in this year's contest with an honorable mention designation: Ben Prepelka (photo featuring Sam Wagner Covered Bridge), Mark Koskulitz (Snyder & Johnson Covered Bridges), Margie Hunsinger (Hollingshead Covered Bridge), Bob Erlsten (Snyder Covered Bridge), and Kristina Martyniuk (Rupert Covered Bridge).
According to the news release, the Johnson Covered Bridge was built in 1882 by Daniel Stine. Stine built this three-panel Queenpost truss bridge for approximately $750. The Johnson Bridge is 61 feet long and spans Mugser Run in Cleveland Township, just east of Knoebels Amusement Resort and west of Numidia. The bridge's namesake is most likely Adam M. Johnson, a farmer who owned the land where the bridge is located. Johnson also owned a boot and shoe store near this site. It is believed that the bridge was originally built to provide a safer crossing of Mugser Run to reach his farm and store.