Years before the creation of Long Creek Toy Company came the beginning of a friendship between Doug Graupe and Jerome Knudson. In 1967, Doug, and other farmers in Northwest North Dakota, became interested in a tractor that was being developed on the Knudson Farm near a town named Crosby. This tractor was for Jerome Knudson’s use on the farm, but plans started quickly to offer this innovative machine to others. Jerome, looking for investors, found Doug, and also found the Treasurer on his Board of Directors. This is when Doug’s immediate relationship with the Knudson Tractor started. Doug Graupe began attending farm toy shows and collecting unique farm toys in the early 1980’s. As his interest grew in unique farm toy collectables, his interest in that tractor manufactured near his hometown of Crosby, North Dakota remained. Doug’s continued interest in toys and Knudson Tractors lead to the forming of a toy manufacturing company with Carolyn, his wife. At the time, there were no plans to produce any other brand of tractor besides Knudson, so Doug & Carolyn named their company after the creek the Knudson farm was located near, Long Creek.

Long Creek Toy Company began by manufacturing the Knudson 310 and 310H(Hillside) models in 1994. Eventually Long Creek manufactured all of the green and white models produced by the original Knudson Tractor Company including Jerome’s first tractor, the 220. Other Knudson models produced were the 260, the 360, the 360H, the unique 360HH (Hillside Haulers) and the 360 Mendota Mama (the only white Knudson.)

Long Creek Toy Company made the decision to manufacture only little-known four-wheel drive models. These models are produced after getting exclusive permission from the manufacturer. Once receiving permission, trips are taken to locate “real” models of the tractors to take pictures and actual measurements of the tractors to insure accuracy in the models produced. The models are intended to be for collectors and produced in limited quantities to increase their value
as a unique collectable.

After some persuasion from Mark Bowers, a fellow toy tractor enthusiast, Long Creek Toy Company produced versions of the big yellow Woods & Copeland 301C, 320C, 450C along with the Rome 375C and Rome 450C. Future planned models include the Woods & Copeland 600C, and the Rome 475C.