Monkey Business

In honor of Sock Monkey Day I decided they deserved a post detailing their early years. Stuffed animal toys date back to the Victorian era,but the red lipped sock monkey of today had its humble beginning in Rockford,IL around 1870. John Nelson patented an automatic knitting machine and in September of 1880 the Nelson Knitting Company was formed,producing a seamless sock called the "Nelson Sock". In 1932 the red heel was added to allow customers to know they were buying the original product instead of the many imitations flooding the market. The sock monkey has remained popular throughout the years and are available in many themed configurations in addition to the original. The city of Rockford,IL holds a "Sock Monkey Madness Festival" with various sock monkey festivities in early March.