On July 3, 4, and 5, 1920, the little town of Bly (population less than 100) staged a rodeo that entertained upwards of 3000 persons, and this fact lighted a spark in Lakeview which was to result in the first "Lakeview Round-Up" that same year. 

The Lake County Chamber of Commerce, of which Dr. E. H. Smith was president, held a special meeting at the courthouse on July 9 to discuss the possibility of organizing a round-up here, and enthusiasm ran high. Smith appointed a special committee to study the matter, composed of Dan Brennan, W.V. Miller, and F.P. Light. 

Six days later another meeting was held with Burt K. Snyder, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce presiding, and the big step was taken. The special committee showed a list of 52 firms and individuals who were willing to give up to $100 each to finance the show, so the Chamber meeting was adjourned to be taken over by the 52 signers. The group elected Burt Snyder temporary chairman, and Dan Brennan temporary secretary. 

The committee presented a set of proposed articles of incorporation, and after adopting these the group elected S.P. Dicks as president, W.V. Miller as vice-president, Dan Brennan as secretary-treasurer, and W.Z. Moss, A.J. Ousley, O.C. Gibbs, and Fred Reynolds as directors. They then adopted a set of bylaws which the committee of 6-days offered, and the Lakeview Round-Up was established in name and fact. Dates for the first Round-Up were set for September 4,5, and 6.....the Labor Day weekend which has ever since been the traditional dates for the Lakeview Round-Up. 

A week later, ground had been leased west of Lakeview and the work of clearing sagebrush had started. Plans for a 200-foot long grandstand were ready, over $7000 had been raised and the goal set at $10,000. Posts for the corrals were on the ground.

Another week went by, and The Lake County Examiner of August 5, 1920, reported that R.E. Taylor had been given the contract to build the grandstand, and would start work by the following Monday. The leased land was being cleared and leveled of enough area for the arena, the race track, grandstand, and a baseball park. President Dicks had 10 committees assigned to various projects. 

By August 12, the Round-Up Program had been set, including baseball games and "aeroplane stunting" as well as the riding, roping, and racing events. Tickets were on sale: a single ticket for admission to the grounds, all three afternoons, $3, single "season" ticket for admission to the grandstand all three afternoons, an additional $1.50. Children, half price. 

The Examiner of September 2 reported that all facilities were ready, including a new 100 x 100 foot outdoor dance floor just north of the Masonic Hall (this hall is the present location of Howards Drug), and a jazz band from Reno to play all three nights. Daily Round-Up festivities would start at 1 p.m. with a parade led by "the king and queen, Mr. and Mrs. S.P. Dicks."

The September 9 report was jubilant, in great detail, over the high success of the first Lakeview Round-Up, stating an average daily attendance of over 4,000. It was announced that, due to costly preparations for the first show, it was doubtful that the backers who had put up $100 each would get their money back at that time (and history reveals that a few years later all of them waived any claims they had in order for the county to buy the Round-Up grounds and facilities.

In later years, the big local event has come to be called the Lake County Round-Up.