The town lies in the western panhandle of Christian County, just south of Missouri Highway 14 between Nixa and Billings.

The town of Republic and the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield are approximately six miles to the north and northeast.

[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.26 square miles (3.26 km2), all land.

[7] Lincoln Township and the land that would eventually become the town of Clever remained largely unsettled for many years after Missouri became a state in 1821.

The Butterfield Overland Mail Route 1858-1861 period passed through after a change of horses at Ashmore Station.

[11] The battle, along present-day Old Wire Road, was the first time during the Missouri Campaign of 1861 that the Union "Army of the West" and Confederate forces met in conflict.

A short time later a physician, Doctor Bishop, purchased the home and constructed a building across the road with the intent of opening a drug store and mercantile.

It would sit vacant until a year later, around 1894, William Wilson purchased the building and opened the first store in the future Clever.

[8] When the first choice for a post office name was rejected by the Federal government, Mr. Netzer surveyed customers and one, Tom Lentz, suggested "Clever" because the young community's residents were friendly and wise.

[8] By 1908 the growing town featured many new business spurred by the railroad, including a hotel, lumber yard, photography studio, a bank, movie theater, flour mill, and several mercantile and hardware establishments.

With this rapid growth residents felt it time to officially organize as a municipality and petitioned the Christian County court, which granted the request and appointed Clever's first board of trustees in February, 1909.

A series of Chautauqua events over the course of several summers entertained the residents, as did famed showman and Wild West figure William "Buffalo Bill" Cody in 1913.

Famed ragtime composer and pianist Blind Boone also performed in concert at the Clever school gym.

The tornado outbreak resulted in major property damage, numerous livestock deaths, and one human fatality.

[15] The city provides a small police department for public safety, which is led by Chief Jeff Lofton.

In 1919 Blooming Grove and Taylor schools merged with Clever to form the Consolidated District Number 5.

The district now provides pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade education to the community and rural portions of Christian County.