San Francisco Bay Area a primary embarkation point for American forces. In 1945, the United Nations Charter was signed in San Francisco, establishing the United Nations, and in 1951, the Treaty of San Francisco officially ended the U.S.'s war with Japan. Since then, the Bay Area has experienced numerous political, cultural and artistic movements, developing unique local genres in music and art and establishing itself as a hotbed of progressive politics. Economically, the post-war Bay Area saw huge growth in the financial and technology industries, creating a vibrant and diverse economy with a gross domestic product of over $800 billion, and home to the
San Francisco Stock and Bond Exchange founded in 1882 on September 18, in a basement in San Francisco. The exchange was founded as the San Francisco Stock Exchange. On September 18, twenty-five brokers met in the basement of Wohl & Rollitz, which was at 403 California Street in the old Fireman's Fund Insurance Building. Of that number, 19 signed the charter and deposited $50 to purchase memberships. The first president was John Perry Jr. It had nineteen charter members, who called it "the Local Security Board." The first year of business, transactions totaled $9,490,621. After the World War I stock market shutdown that started in July