Armstrong , British Columbia Armstrong , British Columbia , Canada   Hide = { { { } } } Motto : Unhide = { { { } } }   Armstrong , British Columbia , Canada 's Location . Census Division   Regional District Regional District of North Okanagan Area : 5.23 km² Founded   Incorporated 1913 Population : City 4 , 492 ( 2001 ) Population density : 858.9/km² Time zone : Pacific : UTC -8 Hide = { { { } } } Postal code span : Unhide = { { { } } } Hide = { { { } } }   Unhide = { { { } } } Latitude : Longitude : 50°26′30″N , 119°11′00″W Canadian_City/Map_source_is : { { { CCMapSource } } } Elevation :   m MSL Highways Highway 97A Waterways Okanagan Lake Mayor : Governing body : Armstrong City Council   1 ( sc )  According to the Canada 2001 Census . 2 ( gr ) Geographic references . Template help Edit Template Welcome to Armstrong , B . C . The City of Armstrong , with a population of 4 , 492 , is located in the North Okanagan of the Canadian province of British Columbia , between Vernon and Enderby . It overlooks the Spallumcheen Valley , and is about 300 miles from Calgary , Alberta , Vancouver , B.C. , Spokane and Seattle , Washington . Location and history Armstrong , which sits above the dairy and ranch land of the Spallumcheen Valley , a name derived from the First Nations word meaning `` beautiful valley '' . , is a small community and commercial center , with agriculture , in particular alfalfa and wheat , and ranching being its traditional economic venture . Armstrong was named after E.C. Heaton Armstrong , a London banker who helped finance the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway in 1892 and local development at the turn of the century . The influence of Dutch immigrants settling in the valley after the Second World War is represented by their cheese-making knowledge , and Armstrong is well known today for the cheese it produces . The city is also well-known for hosting the Interior Provincial Exhibition and Stampede , which has been running now for 103 years . This exhibition is very much a country fair , with contests being held to judge animals , cooking , sewing , hobbies and other items . Additionally , the exhibition offers a variety of entertainment options ranging from concerts to clown shows . Armstrong is run by as six-member Council headed by the Mayor , with meetings being held the second and fourth Mondays of every month . The current Mayor in 2006 is G.W. ( Jerry ) Oglow who had been a Council member for 22 years and has been Mayor for the past 10 . Oglow is the longest serving member of Council in the 93-year history of the City . Economy , tourist attractions , and activities While agriculture and ranching is a large portion of the economy of Armstrong and the Spallumcheen Valley , tourism also plays a significant role in the financial security of the region . Museums and places of interest Armstrong and the surrounding area feature many attractions including museums , golf courses , water sports , snow sports including skiing and snowmobile riding , boating , fishing and hiking trails . The Armstrong-Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery , which is the site of the old Armstrong Machine Shop , has over thirty historical displays , replicas of the railways , a schoolhouse , a grocery store , a blacksmith shop , and a comprehensive archive of photographs , newspapers and maps . The Old School House is one of the original educational institutions in British Columbia . The Caravan Farm Theatre is where professional actors who have long provided entertainment throughout the Okanagan produce a number of annual events and festivals . The Okanagan Valley Wine Train , which uses vintage cars that toured across Canada in the 1950s and 1960s , travels through the Okanagan Valley , where tourists can view the lakes , hillsides and orchards between Kelowna and Armstrong . This trip also includes a visit to Vernon 's 1911 railway station en route . Skiing and snowboarding : the Silver Star Provincial Recreation Area is the most northerly winter attraction in Okanagan Valley . Skiers and snowboarders take advantage of Silver Star Mountain where they have 2 , 491 feet ( 760 m ) of vertical drop in which to defy gravity . Cross-country skiers also have a venue at Silver Star with 37 kilometers of tracked and groomed trails . In addition , there are 50 km of groomed trails that pass through the adjacent Sovereign Lake area . The Armstrong Farmer 's Market , which runs weekly April to December , is a key attraction at the IPE Fairgrounds on Saturday mornings . The Okanagan and BC Rockies Circle Tour , takes tourists through the interior of British Columbia , north through the Okanagan to Sicamous , following Highway 1 into the mountains of the BC Rockies . Above from A crop circle was spotted on the Noble Farm on August 2nd , 2006 . Many say it is shaped like a music note . Armstrong cheese Village Cheese Factory Armstrong cheese is well-known throughout Canada and in parts of the United States , and originated in Armstrong . Thus , two of the main tourist attractions are the Armstrong Cheese Factory retail store , and the Village Cheese Factory . At the Village Cheese Factory , one can watch master cheesemakers at their craft . Among the cheeses available are cheddar , Monterey Jack and `` squeaky curds '' . Education The public schools system is administered by School District 83 North Okanagan-Shuswap , headquartered in nearby Salmon Arm . External links Official site http : //www.armstrongbc.com/ http : //www.geocities.com/armstrongshamrocks/ British Columbia Regional Districts Alberni-Clayoquot - Bulkley-Nechako - Capital - Cariboo - Central Coast - Central Kootenay - Central Okanagan - Columbia-Shuswap - Comox-Strathcona - Cowichan Valley - East Kootenay - Fraser Valley - Fraser-Fort George - Greater Vancouver - Kitimat-Stikine - Kootenay Boundary - Mount Waddington - Nanaimo - North Okanagan - Northern Rockies - Okanagan-Similkameen - Peace River - Powell River - Skeena-Queen Charlotte - Squamish-Lillooet - Stikine - Sunshine Coast - Thompson-Nicola Communities over 100 , 000 Abbotsford - Burnaby - Coquitlam - Delta - Kelowna - Richmond - Saanich - Surrey - Vancouver 70 , 000-100 , 000 Chilliwack - Kamloops - Langley Township - Maple Ridge - Nanaimo - District of North Vancouver - Prince George - Victoria Other major communities Campbell River - Castlegar - Comox - Cranbrook - Dawson Creek - Dease Lake - Fort St . John - Mission - New Westminster - City of North Vancouver - Penticton - Port Coquitlam - Port Moody - Quesnel - Revelstoke - Tsawwassen - Vernon Notes ↑   http : //www.armstrongbc.com/ ↑   http : //cityofarmstrong.bc.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp ? bhcp=1 ↑   http : //www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/ ? townID=3383 ↑   http : //www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/ ? townID=3383 ↑   http : //www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/ ? townID=3383 ↑   http : //cityofarmstrong.bc.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp ? bhcp=1 ↑   http : //www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/ ? townID=3383 ↑   http : //cityofarmstrong.bc.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp ? bhcp=1 ↑   http : //www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/ ? townID=3383 Categories : Cities in British Columbia | North Okanagan Regional District , British Columbia In other languages : Português Armstrong , British Columbia None     Regional District Regional District of North Okanagan 50°26′30″N , 119°11′00″W   Highway 97A Okanagan Lake   1913 PST   City 4 , 492 ( 2001 ) 858.9 5.23 Jerry Oglow Armstrong City Council   2001 Geographic references hist_ref1 hist_ref1a hist_ref2 hist_ref3 hist_ref4 hist_ref5 att_intro att_list cheese hist_ref1 hist_ref1a hist_ref2 hist_ref3 hist_ref4 hist_ref5 att_intro att_list cheese 