HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOOK RECEIVES INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARD FOR BEST REGIONAL NON-FICTION
PALM BEACH, Fla. (June 15, 2006) — Lila Vanderbilt Webb’s Miradero: Window on an Era, published by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, recently received the Independent Publisher Book Award for “Best Regional Non-Fiction.” The historical biography, written by Robert Ganger, was considered among thousands of 2005 titles by more than 1,500 independent, university and small press publishers throughout North America. The Independent Publisher Book Awards, launched in 1996, was designed to bring increased recognition to deserving, but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers.
Ganger’s book sheds light on Webb’s years wintering in the Palm Beaches, where she eventually designed and built Miradero, a stately winter home in Gulf Stream, Fla. Through rare historical images, personal letters, newspaper accounts and interviews with Webb’s grandchildren, Ganger provides a unique glimpse into the power and privilege of Gilded Age life, and the transformation of Palm Beach from a tropical wilderness to an exclusive resort island.
Lila Vanderbilt Webb is considered one of the least known siblings of the famed Vanderbilt dynasty. Born into the wealthiest family in the nation, she first arrived in Palm Beach in 1899. For the next three decades, she was a prominent fixture among the social elite, and attended the best events, including the highlight of the social season, Henry Flagler’s Bal Poudre held at Whitehall, his home in Palm Beach.
Ganger’s book is a character study of Webb’s efforts to shed her strict, Victorian upbringing and take control of her life, despite a series of personal setbacks which include her dynamic husband’s addiction to morphine. This remarkable woman, whose life has been called “mythically grand” by Vanderbilt historians, drew strength from adversities to create a life full of tangible accomplishments.
The Ganger family purchased Miradero in 1969, saving it from certain destruction. In the mid-1990s, Robert Ganger began the painstaking process of restoring the home for use as his permanent residence. With the help of state and local preservationists, he has attempted to maintain as much of Lila Webb’s original design as practical. The commencement of the restoration effort was the catalyst for his interest in the Webb legacy and developing this biographical account.
Robert Ganger is principal of the Gulf Stream Consulting Group, a strategic planning resource firm for emerging companies. He was previously vice president of development for Kraft General Foods. A proponent of preserving and sharing local history, Ganger serves on the board of directors for the Historical Society of Palm Beach County and the Delray Beach Historical Society, and is an active member of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. He is also the president of the Gulf Stream Civic Association.
For more information, or to order a copy of the book, call the Historical Society of Palm Beach County at (561) 832-4164, or visit www.historicalsocietypbc.org.
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