May 2016: Two Bowdoinham residents with close ties to Highland Green caused a sensation with entertaining and informative appearances in two of our new videos on highlandgreenlifestyle.com. Geologist and longtime Bowdoin College Professor Arthur “Art” Hussey and Crooker Construction employee Shaun Riley are featured in Highland Green Rocks I and Highland Green Rocks II respectively.
Highland Green is located on the north side of Route 196 in Topsham and is home to the highest elevations in the area, including the east side of Mt. Ararat. Highland Green is essentially one big ledge. Carving through miles of this to lay underground public water and sewer, natural gas and electric infrastructure for 176 homes so far has uncovered previously unmapped geology and beautifully unique rocks.
The unusually folded boulders found at Highland Green are known as Mt. Ararat Gneiss and are the result of millions of years of volcanic eruption, sedimentation and metamorphism. Art recently mapped the area surrounding Highland Green for the U.S. Geological Survey and published a book titled A Guide to the Geology of Southwestern Maine.
In the video Highland Green Rocks I: Ancient Geology; a Modern Community, Art offers a fascinating geological history of the coast of Maine and that of Highland Green, and the creation of its signature rocks. He also talks about the chunk of Mt. Ararat Gneiss he received as a gift for his curation of the new rock learning garden at the Maine Gem and Mineral Museum in Bethel.
Shaun’s “Rock Star” status has risen after his appearance in Highland Green Rocks II: A Community and Landscape Like No Other. Growing up right here in Topsham, he spent much time on the land that now encompasses Highland Green’s vast 635-acre campus. In the video, his pride in having skillfully used his backhoe and other equipment to build roads and shape lots while using the ubiquitous rocks to construct retaining walls is obvious. And interest in the large stones by customers having homes built at Highland Green has allowed Shaun to create a signature landscaping look that sets the community apart.
You’re guaranteed to enjoy these colorful characters who are experts in their fields and love their work. Just go to the Highland Green website, click the Our Videos box and choose the first two videos shown. You’ll see why new friends from 29 different States and counting have made Highland Green home and why Highland Green rocks!
