Photo: Paul D. Johnston, April 1966
A longtime Aptos resident who spent part of his youth in Soquel, Mr. Johnston begins his interview with descriptions of turn-of- the-century Capitola, the Soquel paper mill, and the mid-county fruit industry. He then discusses the history and economy of the old village of Aptos--its businesses, school, roads, water supply, and volunteer fire department, of which he was long an active member. He also discusses the men who were the large landowners in the mid-county at that time and the coming of the modern real estate developers, specifically the creation of Rio Del Mar and Seacliff. In the latter part of the manuscript he describes the rum-running and mountain stills of the Prohibition era, while the concluding chapters are devoted to World War II, particularly the Civil Defense efforts in the County during those years.