The winning photo of the competition will be published as the 14th part of the annual series | News, Sports, Jobs

The Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau recently announced the winner of this year’s Covered Bridge Photo Contest.

According to a press release, the winning image will appear as the 2024 Covered Bridge Puzzle. This year’s puzzle will be released in the fall as the fourteenth piece in the Visitors Bureau’s limited edition and features the Johnson Covered Bridge for the first time.

The overall winner of the year was Tony Berard’s snapshot of the Johnson Bridge in Columbia County. Berard taught mathematics at King’s College for 40 years.

“During class breaks he experimented with travel photography,” said the press release. “After retiring in 2012, he had more time to seriously pursue photography as a hobby. He joined the Hazleton Camera Club, where he remained an active member and 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 received honorable mention in this year’s competition: Ben Prepelka (Sam Wagner Covered Bridge photo), 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 press release, the Johnson Covered Bridge was built in 1882 by Daniel Stine. Stine built this three-section queenpost truss bridge for about $750. The Johnson Bridge is 61 feet long and spans Mugser Run in Cleveland Township, 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 on which the bridge is located. Johnson also owned a shoe store near this location. It is believed that the bridge was originally built to provide a safer crossing of Mugser Run so he could reach his farm and business.