1855 1944 1946 1997 2007 2008 2010 2012 2014 1862 1914 Honoring the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, national cemeteries are the final resting places for men and women who served our country with unmatched valor and dedication. Since the 1860s, these shrines to America’s heroes have offered places of peace and reflection for military families and visitors. Today, we offer the same through Patriot Plaza, the amphitheater at Sarasota National Cemetery. To realize the future of this sacred space and the unprecedented partnership between the National Cemetery Administration and The Patterson Foundation, we must first acknowledge our intertwined past. Joseph Medill buys into the Chicago Tribune, helps create the Republican Party and is influential in Abraham Lincoln’s election to President in 1860. Congress authorizes President Lincoln to purchase grounds for a national cemetery, establishing the beginning of the national cemetery system as we know it today. Medill’s grandsons Col. Robert McCormick and Capt. Joseph Medill Patterson serve in the armed forces during World War I. Medill’s great grandson James J. Patterson graduates from West Point and is honorably discharged as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Medill’s grandson Capt. Joseph Medill Patterson is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Five years after James J. Patterson’s death, his widow, Dorothy Clarke Patterson, creates The Patterson Foundation. Dorothy Clarke Patterson dies, and the remainder of her estate is subsequently added to The Patterson Foundation. Groundbreaking and dedication of Sarasota National Cemetery. The Patterson Foundation launches its vision, including a multi-million-dollar partnership to construct Patriot Plaza, an amphitheater at Sarasota National Cemetery. Patriot Plaza groundbreaking at Sarasota National Cemetery. Patriot Plaza dedication at Sarasota National Cemetery. PATRIOT PLAZA S A R A S O T A N A T I O N A L C E M E T E R Y Commitment. Courage. Legacy. N A T I O N A L C E M E T E R Y A D M I N I S T R A T I O N Q U A L I T Y • T E A M W O R K • S E R V I C E www.thepattersonfoundation.org The Patterson Foundation, as an endowed charitable entity, does not solicit funds. Stay Connected #PatriotPlaza #LegacyofValor