Metropolitan Hall was a men's club, which first invited women as guests of members for a monthly Fine Art soiree in February 1863. The event was celebrated in an 18 February 1863 poem in the Intelligencer, "The Ladies Raid on the Metropolitan Club Room": Our club-rooms! Our Club-rooms! How jolly and free, / With our billiards, our cribbage, our euchre were we! / Escaped from all trammels and free from all care, / We joyed in the blessings of Bachelor fare." Following the ladies' "raid," which was accompanied by an exhibition of painting and statuary, the club's transformation seems complete: "Then to the dear creatures surrender our pride, / Let's welcome the ladies, or let the Club slide."
