Klimovichi was first mentioned in printed sources in 1581.

Scientists suppose that man could appear on the territory of contemporary Belarus some 300 thousand years ago. People are reported to permanently live on the territory of Belarus some 100-40 thousand years ago, in the Middle Paleolith in the epoch of the so-called Mousterian archeological culture. Flinty spearheads and other excavation findings go to prove the supposition of archeologists. The bearers of that culture were the Neanderthal people.

The first state establishment of Belarus was the Duchy of Polotsk, located along the rivers Zapadnaya Dvina, Berezina and the adjacent territories. The end of the first millennium saw the establishment of the Duchy of Turov, whose centre was located in the town of Turov. The lands and towns located close to the river Sozh were part of the Duchies of Smolensk and Chernihiv. At the end of the 10th century, practically the whole territory of Belarus was annexed to the Russia of Kiev. Some time between the 11th and 13th century, when the Russia of Kiev was composed of separate duchies, the land of Polotsk gained independence, followed by the duchies of Smolensk, Chernihiv, of which the territory of Klimovichi district was part of in different times.

The primeval system of relations was gradually replaced by the communal, with settlements of the Cro-Magnon man found in Chechersk and Kalinkovichi districts.

In the middle of the 13th-14th centuries all lands of Belarus were annexed to the Great Duchy of Lithuania, whose centre was located in the town of Novogrudok.

In the 16th century the Great Duchy of Lithuania introduced administrative division, establishing districts (uyezds) and voivodships. The voivodship of Mstislavl was composed of the lands of the contemporary Mogilev region and the greater part of Gomel region.

The Lublin treaty of 1569, which united the Great Duchy of Lithuania with Poland, followed by the Brest treaty, introduced a change to the social and public system of Belarus. A great number of Catholic churches and monasteries were built here at that time. For instance in 1626 a Dominican monastery was built in Klimovichi. The anti-treaty movement sparked off in the voivodship of Mstislavl, of which Klimovichi district was part. The movement was also intended to bring down the feudal pressure. Peasants would refuse to pay taxes, fleeing to Russia and Ukraine, forming armed units. These units took part in anti-feudal wars, spearheaded by Nalivaiko. A big lot of villagers of Klimovichi district took part in the war against Poland as soldiers of the army of Bogdan Hmelnitski.

Since 1720 till 1758 Klimovichi was property of the Beliatskis, and then were owned by the Golynskis.

A significant trace in the history of Klimovichi district was left by a peasant revolt spearheaded by Vassily Vaschila. Started in 1740 in Krichev, the fight continued till 1744, when soldiers of Radzivil managed to suppress the uprising and capture the riot leaders.

In the year 1777 Klimovichi was given the status of a town, to which were submitted 10 Jewish settlements and 36 villages. The district had a total population of 25,139 people. The town plan was drafted in 1778, the town emblem - in 1781.

In the war of 1812 the French corps led by marshal Davu entered Mogilev July 8. The way to withdrawal for Russia's 2nd western army was blocked. The occupation period lasted for around 5 months. A lot of settlements in Klimovichi district were destroyed and burnt. Before the French occupation, all state archives of Klimovichi were moved to Chernihiv, however, they were never returned.

In 1844 there was a wooden church built in Klimovichi in honour of John the Forerunner's birthday.

In 1866 they built of stone Archangel Michael's Cathedral.

The shortcomings of the 1861 land reform, the struggle for land division between landlords and peasants, the "arbitrary lands", the land tax issue provoked peasant riots in Klimovichi district in 1901-1904.

The peasant movement gained force in June 1905 till 1906. A total of 38 peasant uprisings registered at that time.

The Soviets declared their control over Klimovichi in December 1923, when Klimovichi district was united with the district of Cherikov, nominated Kaliniski, whose centre was located in Klimovichi.

In March 1924 Kalininski district was annexed to the Soviet Social Republic of Belarus as part of Gomel region.