Snippets from National Press Club History: Opening Night

National Press Club 1979 President Art Wiese was one of the Club's greatest leaders and most ardent supporters. He was responsible for planning much of the reconstruction of the Club during the building renovation in the early 1980s. For years he was a watchdog to assure that the Club maintained its tradition as a safe harbor for journalists and communicators.

In his later years, he put together a series of snippets on the Club's history. In honor of his passing this year, The Wire will run one of them each week. Here's the first:

"In May 1908 the new National Press Club threw open the doors of its first location, above a jewelry store on F Street, for a housewarming party. Dozens of senators, congressmen and diplomats turned out. Liquor and laughter flowed and Buffalo Bill Cody enthralled everyone with the tale of how he introduced Chief Sitting Bull to President [Grover] Cleveland. It was the first gala evening at the National Press Club -- where news is made in the nation's capital. Some of it about history."