Clovis is the county seat of Curry County, and is at the junction of
U. S. Highways 60-84, U. S. 70, and New Mexico 209. Originally named
Riley, New Mexico,or Riley Switch, it's been "Clovis" since 1907.
There are local arguments about why in 1907 the AT&SF railroad changed
the name of its station between Texico, New Mexico, and Blacktower, New
Mexico, from "Riley" to "Clovis" and why the folks living near that
station renamed their settlement "Clovis".
The railroads brought many homesteaders, farmers and ranchers to
southeast New Mexico. The filing fee for land was 10 cents an acre,
or $16 for an 160-acre homestead. Many of these first settlers lived
in dugouts until townsites could be surveyed and schools organized.