Nelson Knitting Co.

Rockford is crawling with ghost signs, by Jim Hagerty, mystateline.com, October 20-21, 2022

Jean

 

Rockford is crawling with ghost signs

Source: mystateline.com, October 20-21, 2022

John Castrogiovanni – 1981

Jan

Jim Quinn photo, above

“Hilander still uses Dad’s ideas” by Cathy Rogers

Source: Rockford Register Star 8/10/1981 and also Rockfordiana:  Biographies, CAR – CAZ

Construction begins next month on the Fourth Hilander Store in Rockford; essentially one for each of the four brothers who were born and raised in the grocery business,

The new store will be at Spring Creek and Mulford. A general contractor has been hired to oversee building plans for the building. Previously the patriarch, Joseph, handled those details.  “He was the boss,” said number 3 son, John.

Joseph, their father, immigrated from Italy in the early 1900’s and sent for his mother and siblings a few years later.  He was first employed at Nelson Knitting Co. and worked part time at a local meat market.  Anthony and Joseph persuaded Joseph’s boss to lend them $1000 to open their own meat market, Sanitary Meat Market, 1006 S. Main St. Within 6 months the loan was paid off.  In 1937, the brothers, opened the second meat market at 2219 East State St., featuring homemade Italian sausages. In 1947, the grocery chain decided to move and took the plunge into the full grocery business.  By 1955, the third Castrogiovanni store opened on South Wyman St.. During the past two decades, three more were added to the family chain.  The store at 1715 Rural St. opened in 1959, the one at S. Alpine Rd. and Charles St. in 1966, and the last one at 3710 N. Main St. in 1977.  During that same period the store on So. Wyman and East State St. closed.

4 sons are:  Anthony, based at the Alpine Store, Alfred, based on N. Main St., John, based at Rural St. and Joseph handles the grocery and non-food items at the Alpine Store. The stores now employ about 360 people.  Another recent venture is Giovanni’s Restaurant, 610 N. Bell School Rd., in 1977.

Main St., So., 1101 – 1889-90

Jan

1101 So. Main St. :   Curtis, James, clerk, resides 1101 S. Main St.

Curtis, Miss Katie, wks Nelson Knitting Co., resides 1101 So. Main St.

Curtis, Miss Mary, dressmaker, resides 1101 So. Main St,

Curtis, William H., painter, resides 1101 So. Main St.

Source:  1889-90 Rockford City Directory

Also living in Curtis household, perhaps as boarders:

David W. Derstine, machinist, Love & Bristow

James H. Welch, clerk, Farnsworth’s bakery

Miss Mary Welch, dressmaker

 

 

“Famed Nelson Machine Made Over Industry — 1938 article

Jan

Below: Column 4

Source:  Rockford Morning Star March 20, 1938

Sock Monkeys, Fiberglass – Nuggets of History

Jan

See Rockford Historical Society’s Nuggets of History Vol. 53  No.  2, Spring 2015 Article by Carol J, Fox

The original sock monkey was made with Nelson Knitting Co. red-heeled socks (red heels since 1932) of Rockford, Il  in business from 1880 – 1992.

In 1953 Helen Cooke from Aurora, IL patented the sock monkey.  She sued Mr. Stanley Levy for patent infringement.  Levy enlisted the help of Nelson Knitting Co., of Grace Winget, who made a sock monkey in 1951.  Nelson Knitting Co., then bought all patents for the sock monkey until it expired in the 1970’s.

Joan Sage, marketing director of Midway Village and Museum Center, inspired by Chicago’s fiberglass Cow Parade, suggested that Rockford could do similar with Rockford as the Hometown of the Sock Monkey. In 2004-5 businesses and individuals were asked to sponsor six-foot tall fiberglass sock monkeys,  Lpcal artists designed each monkey.

Where they are located:  [pictures of each in the article]  additional information in article

  1.  “Soxanne”  Artists: Marion Olson, Carol Anderson, Carol Ubben   Seated monkey, outdoors, Midway Village.
  2.  “Forest”  Artist Diane Garrett, Location: Chicago Rockford International Airport
  3.  “Earthly Angels”  Artist: Carol Jacobson,  Location:  Swedish American Hospital
  4.  “Lady Liberty” Artist:  Cora Hutchinson, Location:  National Business & Industrial Centre, in the old National Lock Building, 7th St. and 18th Ave.
  5.  “Rockford in Bloom”   Artist: Marty Panzer,  Location: Rockford Arts Council
  6.  “Carl Anders”  Artists: Marion Olsen, Candy Wolf and Carol Jacobson.  Location: Stockholm Inn
  7.  “Symbol” Artist: Deborah Stromsdorfer  Location:  Private residence of sponsor, Dr. Kris Tumilowicz,  across the river from the namesake “Symbol” sculpture.
  8. “Paper Boy” Artist: K Dyer Location: Rockford Register Star lobby.
  9.  “Rockford College Sock Monkey”  Artist: Jeanne Coe. Location:  Nelson Hall, Rockford University
  10.  “Victor e. Lane” Artist:  Jeanne Coe.  Location: Rockford Speedway
  11.  “Patriot”  Artist:  Lonny Stark  Location: Midway Museum Center inside,
  12.  “Cheap Trick”  Artist: Jeanne Coe  Location: Midway Museum Center  inside
  13.  “J. Nelson Pollack” Artist: Lorie Painter  Location: Library Center, Nelson Elementary School
  14.  “Julia M. Scout” Artists:  Karen Harding, Sandy Ures, Lisa Normoyle.  Location:  Camp Medill McCormick, Friendship Center
  15.  “Stillman”  Artist:  Joyce Bietau Rienken  Location:  Stillman Bank, Oregon, IL (now in storage area)
  16.  “Tradesman”  Artist:  Doug Adcock  Location: Project First Rate
  17.  “Building Rockford”  Artist:  Doug Adcock  Location: Fridh Construction
  18.  “Power of the Sun”  Artist:  Nicole Georgis  Location: Rockford Day Nursery
  19.  “Faces of Rockford”  Artists:  Mary Rosandich, Jeanne Coe, Joe Marchione  Location:  Transatlantic Connection   resides in private residence, and has been on display in Stewart Square
  20.  “Rockford Sports Tourist”  Artist: Jessica Cannova   Location unknown, once seen in Stewart Square
  21.  ” E.A.R.L.” Artist: Lorie Painter  Location: Private residence

Source: Nuggets of History, Midway Village, 2015 President: Scott Lewandowski