Nelson Knitting Mills in Rockford Illinois made the first original Rockford red heelĀ® socks in 1880. The socks were intended to be work socks, but in the early 1900's mothers started crafting these socks into sock monkeys for their children.
The continued popularity of the sock monkey encouraged the city of Rockford, Illinois to embrace the doll as a part of its history. In 2005, Midway Village Center in Rockford held its first "Sock Monkey Madness Festival", while simultaneously opening an exhibit highlighting the industrial, legal, and creative history of the Nelson red heel sock and the sock monkey.
Thanks for all the input, StacyRu~ and for all the rest of the comments too- I knew it when I saw it it would be a perfect Listia item. . . Happy Bidding!