One Illinois City Nabs Guinness Record for the Largest Collection of Sock Monkeys

One Illinois city just set the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of sock monkeys, and I guarantee it's not who you think.

The Rockford, IL Sock Monkey Connection

Rockford, Illinois is often called the birthplace of the Sock Monkey, but not because the monkey made out of socks was first created here. Rockford's relationship to Sock Monkeys is all about the socks themselves.

The Nelson Knitting Company in Rockford was the first to create a pair of socks that didn't have a seam in the heel back in the late 1800s, but the famous red heel that's associated with sock monkeys didn't come about until the 1930s when the company was known as Forest City Knitting.

During the Great Depression, some women began creating dolls out of these famous red-heeled "Rockford socks", and from there the Sock Monkey was truly born.

Does Rockford, IL Hold the Guinness Record for Largest Sock Monkey Collection?

Rockford's beloved Midway Village Museum is a great place to learn all kinds of cool stuff about sock monkeys. The Museum has a whole exhibit dedicated to sock monkey history, you can buy one there, it even hosts an annual sock monkey festival, BUT they still do not hold the official record for having the largest sock monkey collection in the World. SAY WHAT?!?

According to the Daily Herald, the Sock Monkey Museum in Long Grove, Illinois currently holds the title.

The Daily Herald's article says;

Guinness representatives Hannah Ortman and Chloe McCarthy were at the museum Thursday counting sock monkeys and adding up the total. The result was a world record in a new category: the largest collection of handmade sock monkeys in the world.

So, what was the exact number? 2,098!! 

Rockford, I think we need to start collecting way more sock monkeys so we can bring that Guinness Record home where it belongs VERY soon!