Rockford factory, home of the sock monkey, is getting cleaned up

by: Jess Liptzin

Posted: Jan 31, 2023 / 09:15 PM CST

Updated: Jan 31, 2023 / 09:15 PM CST

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A former Rockford manufacturer is getting cleaned up.

The former Nelson Knitting Factory has sat empty since the early 90s, but the building comes with history. It was the home of the sock monkey.

The first home for the snuggly stuffed animal is an icon of the City of Rockford. The site is now undergoing a transformation that could give the former manufacturer new life.

"So, this is one more part of Rockford's earliest history that is being torn down, sadly," said Luke Frederickson, marketing director at Midway Village Museum.

A Swedish immigrant invented the first seamless sock knitting machine in the early 1870s. His name was John Nelson.

The Nelson Knitting Factory was formed years later.

"Thriving company who became known nationwide for the sock monkey doll," Frederickson said. "It's a good way to introduce people to the history of Rockford."

Unique at the time, the seamless sock was popular for being comfortable. Nelson Knitting, as well as four other companies, made 15,000 dozen pairs per day at its peak.

Nelson created something in 1915 that moved the company beyond socks; the sock monkey.

"It's a neat, fun kind of inter-generational thing that ties into Rockford history," Frederickson said. "Sock monkey dolls are fun and not sort of a fad that goes out of fashion."

Nelson Knitting closed its doors in 1992 after more than 110 years of business. The Environmental Protection Agency began a cleanup of the site this week, removing and disposing of asbestos.

The work is expected to be completed by March. The building's future, whether redevelopment or demolition, will be determined once finished.

"So, even though that's shutting down, it's always a good time to remember that it did exist, that they did produce, you know, a great sock and it turned into a great sock monkey doll," Frederickson said.

Another fun fact: The Rockford socks were worn by both teams in the 1973 Superbowl.

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