The Jersey City Independent "

“Our sense of Prohibition has been shaped by Al Capone movies. My stories are local Jersey City tales — I tell about the ‘mom and pop’ Italian restaurants that made red wine in the cellar, like Pipi’s on Orchard Street,” Leach says. “But there are Capone-style places too, like the Sip and Summit at Journal Square [where people] entered via a phone booth from a cigar store next door.”

The Jersey City Free Public Library has set a date and unveiled the 18 authors lined up for its third annual book festival, “A Tale of Our City.” Among the writers who will descend on Van Vorst Park this September 18 are Seton Hall Law School professor John B. Wefing, local historians Bob Leach and [...]

A mix of government agencies, neighborhood groups and individuals will receive 2009 Preservation Awards from the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy (JCLC), according to JCLC president John Hallanan. The awards, now in their ninth year, honor builders, community advocates, writers and others who have helped build the community of preservation in Jersey City.

Cynthia Harris and Bob Leach chat with festival-goers (Photo courtesy the Jersey City Free Public Library) This past weekend’s rainy weather did little to dampen the spirits of the city’s bibliophiles as evidenced by the consistent stream of traffic flowing through Saturday’s second annual book festival held at Van Vorst Park. “Surprisingly, it turned out [...]

Most Jersey City residents are aware that the city has a rich and long history, but as they go through their daily routines, it can be easy for them to forget about the colorful characters and gritty neighborhoods that once called Chilltown home. That’s where local historian and storyteller Bob Leach comes in.