Armstrong grew from a small farm service center into a close rural city with strong roots in agriculture and rail. This page tells the story of Armstrong, BC, in clear steps from early days to the present.
Indigenous roots and the Spallumcheen Valley
Armstrong sits within the traditional territory of more than one Indigenous group. Both Secwépemc (Shuswap) people and Syilx (Okanagan) people have a long history in this area, and many records point to their use of the land, water, and travel routes for many generations.
This dual claim reflects the long movement of families, trade, and seasonal harvests across the region. Both groups hold deep ties to the land, and both remain present and active in the wider Okanagan and Shuswap areas today.
The valley provided good soil, water, and routes for travel. Local Indigenous people used and cared for these lands for many generations. Today, museum collections in Armstrong hold artifacts, stories, and records that share this history and help residents learn about Indigenous life in the area.
Early European settlers and the village of Lansdowne
European settlers began to arrive in the 1860s. Records point to settlers such as A. L. Fortune and J. B. Burns, who came to a site that would later be called Lansdowne in 1866.
Through the late 1800s, more farmers, ranchers, and merchants came into the valley. They cleared land, planted crops, and raised livestock. Lansdowne grew into the first local town site and served as a center for trade and services for nearby farms.
Railways reshape the townsite
Rail lines changed the region in a major way. By the late 1880s, survey crews studied a possible line between the Shuswap and Okanagan areas and reported strong farming potential in the valley.
In 1892, the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway linked the valley to Okanagan Landing and the national Canadian Pacific Railway system. The village of Lansdowne sat away from the new junction. A new site closer to the rail lines offered better access for freight and passengers.
Town leaders and investors chose to move the main town site from Lansdowne to the present location. This move placed stores, warehouses, and homes near the rail connection and shaped the street pattern people see today.
Naming Armstrong and the 1913 incorporation
The new town took the name Armstrong after William Heaton Armstrong. He was a London banker who helped raise capital for the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway and for local development at the turn of the century.
The wider rural area around the town became the Township of Spallumcheen in 1892. As the town center grew, local leaders wanted a structure that could focus on urban services without limiting farm interests around it. In 1913, the town area separated from the township and became the City of Armstrong.
Armstrong’s incorporation date is March 31, 1913. The city later marked its centennial in 2013, which sparked fresh interest in local history and heritage sites.
Farming, fairs, and the Interior Provincial Exhibition
Agriculture has always shaped daily life in Armstrong. The city sits amid dairy farms, hay fields, and mixed crops of alfalfa, corn, and other feed. These farms support local families and businesses and help define the landscape of the Spallumcheen Valley.
In 1899, local farmers and residents started the Interior Provincial Exhibition and Stampede. This fair became one of the most important events in the community. People brought livestock, produce, home baking, and handcrafts to compete and share their work. The fair also grew to include rides, games, shows, and a rodeo.
The exhibition has run for more than a century, with only a few breaks, including cancellations in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the “IPE” still draws visitors from across the region and remains a strong link between town and country life.
Cheese making and Dutch influence
Armstrong became well known for cheese production in the twentieth century. After the Second World War, Dutch immigrants arrived in the valley and brought strong skills in dairy farming and cheese making.
The best known brand was Armstrong Cheese. It operated in the community for more than 100 years and helped carry the town’s name across Canada. Dairyworld bought Armstrong Cheese in 1997. Saputo Inc. bought Dairyworld in 2003, and in 2004 the Armstrong cheese plant closed.
Cheese making did not end with that closure. The Village Cheese Company opened as a new plant and visitor site where people can still watch cheese makers work and buy local cheese curds and other products.
Schools and community life
Education also marks Armstrong’s history. In 1921, Armstrong Elementary School opened as the Armstrong Spallumcheen Consolidated School. It was the first central school in British Columbia to replace many one-room rural schools with a single larger facility. Students from about thirteen small schools came together in one place.
As the region grew, new schools joined the system. Len Wood Middle School and Pleasant Valley Secondary opened to serve older students. Highland Park Elementary opened in 1983 to help meet demand and relieve pressure on Armstrong Elementary.
Local arenas, halls, and parks also play a large role in community life. Sunbelt Arena and Hassan Arena host skating, hockey, lacrosse, and roller events. A skatepark and many fields and courts give residents places to meet and play.
Museums, heritage, and local memory
Residents have worked hard to preserve the area’s past. In 1973, volunteers created the Armstrong-Spallumcheen Museum. The museum moved to a former machine shop building in 1983 and later expanded to include an art gallery.
The museum now holds more than thirty displays and a large archive of photographs, maps, and newspapers that trace local stories from early settlement to recent times.
The City of Armstrong also maintains a Heritage Resource Inventory. This list records more than seventy properties with heritage value, including homes, stores, and public buildings. These sites help show how the town grew and changed over time.
A cairn in Memorial Park honours Catherine O’Hare Schubert. She was an Irish immigrant and the first recorded European woman to arrive in British Columbia overland from the east. The city later formed a sister city agreement with Rathfriland in County Down, Northern Ireland, which was her birthplace.
Armstrong in recent decades
Over the late twentieth century, Armstrong kept its strong farming base while adding new services and tourism. Many residents still work in agriculture, ranching, and logging. Others work in retail, health, education, and small manufacturing.
Tourism plays a growing role. Visitors come for the fair, the museum, the cheese plant, and outdoor activities across the North Okanagan and Shuswap regions. Cycling, hiking, skiing, and water sports all link nearby communities and support local businesses.
In 2015, Armstrong and Spallumcheen signed a sister city agreement with Rathfriland. This step highlighted ties between present residents and the story of early immigrant families. It also showed how a small city in rural British Columbia can connect with places around the world while still keeping a focus on local farms and neighborhoods.
Armstrong today
According to the 2021 Census, Armstrong has a population of 5,323 residents. The city remains a service center for nearby farms and rural homes and a hub between Vernon and Enderby.
Armstrong’s history reflects a mix of Indigenous roots, early European settler farms, rail lines, fairs, cheese plants, and strong local groups. Museums, heritage buildings, and community events keep this story visible. At the same time, people who live here continue to shape the next chapters in the city’s story through schools, sports, business, and local government. .