McHenry Times

In an Aug. 14 Facebook post, Sen. Dan McConchie announced that a new Guinness World Record holder existed within his district. That honor goes to the Sock Monkey Museum in Long Grove, with more than 2,000 sock monkeys on display.

"We have a Guinness World Record Holder in the 26th District," McConchie said. "Congratulations to the Sock Monkey Museum in Long Grove. If you want to see what 2,098 sock monkeys looks like, this is the place!"

You know a sock monkey when you see it. The iconic brown and white design with a bright red lip has its origins in Rockford, Illinois. The Strong National Museum of Play notes that while the Nelson Knitting Company’s iconic Rockford socks with red heels were popular in 1932, it wasn’t until the 1950s when the company received the patent for the sock monkey toy in 1955 that it began including the pattern for the sock monkey doll in packages of their red heel socks.

Those toys have become iconic, and on Aug. 10, the Daily Herald revealed the identity of the newest Guinness World Record holder – the Sock Monkey Museum in Downer’s Grove. McConchie shared a link to that news article in his Facebook post. The news outlet reported that the 2,098 sock monkeys on display in the Sock Monkey Museum in Long Grove, Illinois.

“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. The museum far exceeded the benchmark of 1,000 set by Guinness, with 2,098 official sock monkeys,” according to the Daily Herald.

The Sock Monkey Museum got its start with a 2006 visit to a Cracker Barrel restaurant, according to the museum’s website, and the collection grew, with the mindset of “No Sock Monkey left behind.” Now, after that first Sock Monkey’s relatives have continued to find it, there are more than 2,0000 that now reside together in Long Gove. The museum, their home, is located at 210 Old McHenry Rd. in Long Grove. The museum is open Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $6 for guests 12 and over, children over 4 are $4 and those 4 and under get in free.