Local Man Creates Bradford County Scavenger Hunt
TOWANDA, PA (WENY) -- A Northern Tier man has been leaving clues all over Bradford County, Pennsylvania, in preparation to launch a county-wide scavenger hunt.
Robert Tomlinson is the man behind Barclay Mountain Company, and the mastermind of the Bradford County Scavenger Hunt. He says he developed the idea while he was working in Central Pennsylvania, as a way to get out and meet new people. Now, he's brought the concept back home to where he grew up.
"The concept is basically where people find these posters, there will be hidden clues and messages on them that lead them from business to business, museum to museum, basically let people discover their community, their history, hidden gems throughout the community," Tomlinson said.
Across the county, people can begin to gather clues from posters hanging up at local businesses, museums, and other locations. Scanning the poster's QR codes leads followers on an adventure, in search of metal coins bearing the Barclay Mountain Company logo, which pays tribute to Barclay Mountain's coal mining beginnings, and known hotspot for rattlesnakes.
"So right now, we have 50 hidden coins throughout Bradford County, and when people find those coins there's a QR code on the back that will further explain what they need to do," Tomlinson explained.
Once someone finds a coin, the QR code on the back will lead them to a website where they can report their find, as well as other information. The hunt also involves other games along the way, that tell the story of the past, present and future of Bradford County. The coins are all hidden on public property, but with varying degrees of difficulty to find.
"I want people to learn about their history, learn about themselves, it's a fun family activity, so kind of a bonding experience, meet friends out there, just kind of learn about themselves," he said.
Tomlinson said the scavenger hunt not only encourages people to get outside and learn about their county's history, but it helps support local businesses, as people visit, looking for clues on the posters. Plans are in the works for local pizza shops to take part with special pizza boxes for an additional storyline and clues. As more coins are found, the QR codes will be updated new information, as new coins are hidden.
The hunt will conclude with an event on August 10th at the Barclay Mountain Heritage Day, where there will be prizes for those who found coins, including one lucky winner walking away with a $1,000 prize.
The Bradford County Scavenger Hunt goes live on June 1st.
Tomlinson said he's also in the works to bring scavenger hunt events to the Binghamton and Williamsport areas in the future.
To learn more about the Bradford County Scavenger Hunt, visit the Barclay Mountain Company website, or to learn more about where the posters are located, follow them on social media on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.