In 1943 Oak Ridge was created as the residential center for the Clinton Engineering Works. Located on the northeast corner of a 59,000-acre reservation acquired by the federal government in 1942, the community was designed by architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. In 1945 Oak Ridge reached a peak population of seventy-five thousand. On January 1, 1947, the Atomic Energy Commission assumed control of the community. In 1959 Oak Ridge became an incorporated municipality.