The cowmen were the first permanent white settlers in the area. They chose the semi-shallow draws which were watered by a few springs to dig dug-outs, later erecting rock homes and barns, letting their longhorn cattle drift over the open range.

In 1906, the Santa Fe railroad chose this area to locate their “Eastern terminal” of the Belen cutoff. The site was surveyed, and the new town was quickly established. The naming of the town was no small task. Although many felt it should have a Spanish name, there was no Spanish background to the area. The story goes that a railroad official's daughter, who had been studying French history, suggested the town be named after an ancient Christian King of the Frankish Empire. Finally, the Santa Fe Railway designated the name "Clovis" after this ancient King (Clovis I), who founded the empire, and was King of the Salian Frankish Empire, from 461 to 511 A.D.

In 1929 an airfield was developed west of Clovis for T.A.T. train-plane travel across the United States. The airfield became Clovis Army Air Field in 1942, where B-17, B-14 and B-29 bomber crews trained. The field was deactivated after World War II, but reactivated in 1951, and in 1957, was renamed Cannon Air Force Base, which has since become one of the major jet fighter training sites for U.S. Air Force. With the establishment of Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis stepped into a diversified economy that spurred growth of our modern colleges, healthcare facilities, and businesses.

Deep well irrigation beginning in the early 1950's turned the southeast third of the county into one of the most productive areas in New Mexico. Curry County grows more wheat and sorghum than any other county in the state. Land use of the other two-thirds of the county can roughly be equally divided between dry- land farming and grassland. The grassland and wheat pasturing supports the oldest industry in the county, that of raising livestock. Recently large Holstein dairies have come into the agricultural scene, and what is being billed as the largest cheese plant in the country is currently under construction.

Culture may not be the first thing that comes to mind when talking about Clovis, but we do have our share. "Clovis Music," with its small, world-famous recording studio, made history in 1957 when Norman Petty recorded and made the first hits for Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings and the Fireballs. Today, music history continues to be made in Clovis by stars such as LeAnn Rimes.

Clovis is situated at 4,260 ft. altitude and has a mild climate and low humidity that makes for year-round comfort. We average 335 days of sunshine and 18 inches of rainfall annually, making our climate hard to beat with no floods, no forest fires, no landslides, no quakes, no smog, and no hurricanes, tsunamis or volcanoes.

Clovis welcomes you to come and live, or if just passing through, to stop and visit. You’ll be glad you did.