The City of Clovis began as a railroad station with a stop named Covis after Clovis Cole. Cole was a farmer who owned thousands of acres of land, some of which he sold for the railroad station. The railroad was built in conjunction with the Fresno flume Irrigation Company's log flume. The flume started at a site near what is now Shaver Dam and traveled 42 miles into the valley ending on the south side of Fifth Street east of Clovis Avenue. The town of Clovis grew as a result of the influx of workers to the lumberyard, and was incorporated on February 27, 1912. Even though the flume and Lumber Company closed in 1914, Clovis continued to grow steadily.

One of Clovis' well-known attractions is the Clovis Rodeo. It began as a picnic called “Festival Day” sponsored by the Clovis Women's club. In 1935 the Clovis Rodeo Association purchased the old lumberyard and built bleachers and a corral. To this day, the Clovis Rodeo is held at this location in April each year.