There seems to be a little controversy when it comes to the world of Sock Monkeys in Illinois.
Which Illinois City Does The Sock Monkey Call Home?
I have to be honest, before Rockford made the huge push to claim the Sock Monkey as its own, I didn’t know much about the stuffed animal. I never had one as a kid. I remember seeing them when my mom dragged me to craft shows.
I think it’s a cool thing that is part of Rockford’s history. When my daughter was little, we used to take her to Sock Monkey Madness at Midway Village. She always enjoyed going to Sock Monkey Giveaway Night with the IceHogs too.
According to Go Rockford…
In 1868, Swedish immigrant John Nelson revolutionized sock-making in Rockford by patenting an automatic knitting machine capable of mass-producing socks, an innovation unheard of at the time…