Highland GreenAfter they retired two decades ago, Allan and Mary Crane took up ballroom dancing. It was Mary’s idea, but to her surprise, Allan became the driving force behind their continued participation. “I ended up getting addicted,” he says. The couple switched from group classes to private instruction, attended four days of dance workshops in the Catskills, spent one week each summer attending an intensive dance camp, and advanced to compete in two ballroom competitions. The only downside of their new passion was the commute: The private ballroom lessons and social dance events were in Portland, a two-hour drive from their mountain home in Bethel.
When the couple decided it was time to downsize, Allan brought Mary to visit Highland Green, a 55-plus residential community set on 635 acres in Topsham. Allan had toured the property 15 years prior when serving on a committee investigating the viability of retirement communities in the Bethel area. “I just fell in love with the place and put a pin in it,” Allan says. “When Mary and I visited together years later, I still loved it and she did too.” Beyond the beautiful setting and custom homes, Highland Green is just a short drive from Portland’s dance community. On their first joint visit, the couple put down a deposit on a site adjacent to a picturesque quarry and woods with peek-a-boo views of the golf course.
The Cranes took advantage of the community’s Rent While You Build program, which allowed them to live in an existing Highland Green house while theirs was being built. “We didn’t have to worry about where we would live after our previous home sold, and if any questions popped up about our new home, we were right there to answer them,” Mary says. “I can’t say enough about the team of experts they put together — from the interior designer, to the electricians, plumbers, and carpenters.” The building process unfolded like dominoes, Allan says, and better still, “Highland Green took care of stacking up all the dominoes.”
At first, the Cranes were apprehensive about moving from a 45-acre property to a home where they could see their neighbors from their front porch. But since settling into Highland Green in January 2024 and moving into their permanent home four months ago, they’ve enjoyed getting to know the community. “Everyone is just down-to-earth, welcoming, and fun to be with,” Mary says.
Mary has taken up hiking, an activity she was reluctant to do in Bethel, where she worried about taking a wrong turn or running into a bear or a hunter. “Here, with the marked trails and the community nearby, I feel very comfortable, and I rarely run into anybody else while out there,” she says. “You can really find some peace and solitude if you want it.” The trails are preserved by Highland Green and maintained by volunteers, many of whom are residents. “You don’t have to worry that you’re going to twist your ankle or something,” Mary says. “And you still have cell-phone reception out there, too.”
Allan, a California College of the Arts graduate who pursued an engineering career, now makes photorealist paintings in his own home studio over the garage and is looking forward to getting involved with the community’s arts groups. “When we were putting together our idea for our house, we visited another resident who is a fabric artist for inspiration,” Allan says. “It’s working out nicely for me.”
The Cranes have also discovered that one of Highland Green’s community center rooms is perfect for ballroom dancing. They play music on their Bose speaker and swirl around the hardwood floor. “Mary always says that our favorite dance is whatever one we happen to be studying at the time, because we really like all of them,” Allan says. “I would say rumba is our favorite. It’s a very romantic dance.”
To learn more about Highland Green’s available homes, new construction, and future independent living apartments, visit highlandgreenlifestyle.com. 7 Evergreen Circle, Topsham. 207-725-4549.
