Raytown

Raytown is the fictional southern, blue collar suburban setting of the sitcom Mama's Family. According to series' star Vicki Lawrence, Raytown is based on the town of Raytown, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City. The state in which Raytown is set is never revealed.

OverviewEdit

Raytown was founded by James A. Ray after he was run out of the town he previously resided in for "religious persecution" (According to Thelma Harper, Ray was actually run of out of town on a "morals charge"). In the Season 5 episode "What a Dump", Bubba Higgins discovers that Ray died in a home located at #1 Old Decatur Road (later renamed Ray Lane). The home was eventually purchased by Carl and Thelma "Mama" Harper and was later revealed to have been a brothel. Subsequently, the Harper home was designated a historial landmark.

Raytown's longtime mayor is Alvin Tutweiler. Mayor Tutweiler is briefly relieved of his duties when, in the two part Season 2 episode "Mama for Mayor", Thelma Harper defeats him for the office. He regains the office after Thelma quickly realizes that she is not capable of fullfilling her duties. Raytown's previous mayor was Sam Lincoln who was noted for his numerous attempts to get Raytown placed on auto club maps.

While the state in which Raytown is located is never identified, it is often referred to as the "jewel of the tri-state area". Raytown likely exists in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama, given that Mama's cousin was passing through from Atlanta, Georgia to travel to Cancun, and Eunice lived within driving distance in Florida. Other towns that are in the tri-state area include Bump (a town noted for consisting of only a stop sign, old homes and a speed bump), Bundy, Ceciltown, Hinkley, and Lynchville.

BusinessesEdit

During the run of the series, numerous fictional businesses and landmarks of Raytown and its surrounding towns were mentioned. Many of the names incorporated "Ray" in the name (ex. The Galleraya Mall). These include:

• The Beauty Spot

• Betty Lou's Skin Care Center

• Bernice Corporation (The parent company of Kwik Keys)

• First National Bank of Raytown

• Graylawn Cemetery

• Hank Monroe's Used Cars

• Jack LaRay's Health Spa

• Jiffy Lube

• Jolly Roger Boat Rentals

• Leisure Haven Retirement Home (nicknamed Leisure Hell)

• McCauley's Piano Tuning

• Mr. Fix-It

• Mutual Insurance of Raytown

• Ned's Gas N' Go

• Pete's Plumbing

• Puente Pines Retirement Home

• Purvis Brothers Roofing
• Quick Keys

• Ray of Hope Home for Wayward Girls

• Ray of Hope Retirement Home

• Ray Print

• Raycorp

• Raytown National Bank

• Rent-a-Gent Escort Service

• Saint Ray Memorial Hospital

• St. Phillips Adoption Agency

• Tri-State Insurance

• Tri-State Power Company

• Wellman's Funeral Home

• Willie Potts' Used Cars

Bars and tavernsEdit

• The Bigger Jigger

• The Boomerang Room

• The Pink Parrot

• Topsy Turvy Bar

• The Turn Table Lounge

Lodging and travelEdit

• Arthur's Hideaway & Launderette

• Dixie Belle Cruise Lines

• The Ray Motel

• The Raymada Inn

• Raytown Travel Agency

• The Rendezvous Motel

• Safaray Travel Agency

• St. George Hotel

• Wandering Hearts Motel

RecreationEdit

• The Bowl-a-Rama

• The Pitch and Putt Miniature Golf Course

• The Putt Putt Miniature Golf Course

• Ray Lanes

Restaurants and eateriesEdit

• Abdul's Garden of Eating

• Al's Eating Barn

• Babylonian Roof Garden

• The Burger Barn

• Burger Boy

• The Burger Bungalow

• Burger Shack

• Burger World

• Chez Ray

• The Dairy Dream

• The Donut Barn (in Hinkley)

• The Donut Hut

• The Frosty Freeze

• The Java Hut

• Land of Donuts (in Bundy)

• Martinelli's

• McRay's

• Mr. Cookie

• Mr. Peavey's Market

• Pete's Pastarama

• Ray's Malt Shop

• Shanghai Ray's

• The Taco Quickie

Stores and shopping centersEdit

• Acme Hardware Store

• Crazy Ray's

• The Diamond Mart (in Hinkley)

• Ed's Hardware Store (Hardware store where Ed Higgins worked)

• Food Circus (A local supermarket, where Naomi Harper works as a cashier)

• Electric City

• Galleraya Mall

• Hickory Farms

• House of Chintz

• Jocks-R-Us

• Kempers Drugs

• Kwik Keys (The shop where Vinton Harper works as a locksmith)

• Melrubes Jewelry Store

• Mr. Macho Clothing Store

• Nedemeyers Department Store

• The Quickie Mart

• Ray Drugs

• Ray's Pawn Shop

• Raymart

• Vandercleef's Jewelry

TransportationEdit

• Raycabs

• Rayhound Bus Station and Bus Line

• Raytown Public Transit Service

• Raytown Municipal Airport

• Rayvis Auto Rental

• Sunray Cab Company

• Tri-State Trolley Company

Clubs and organizationsEdit

• The Church Ladies' League (The CLL)

• The Daughters of Raytown (The DOR)

• Mothers Opposing Pornography (MOP)

• Mystic Order of the Cobras

• The Poker Pals

• Quitters and Losers

• The Raytown Country Club

• Royal Order of The Dames

• Sigma Alpha Pi (SAP)

• The Sons of Lithuania

Local eventsEdit

• Founders' Day

• Kiwanis‘ Day picnic

• Lady Be Lovely pageants

• Miss Rayteen pageant

• Mrs. Grandma USA pageant

• Old Pioneers Day picnic

Landmarks and attractionsEdit

• Chatland Pond

• Hot Sulfur Springs

• Lake Crippen

• Lake Rayawachee

• Mud Lake

• Oswald Caverns

• Ray Cave

• Ray Falls

• Ray Lake

• Ray Point

• The Ray River

• The Ray River Bridge

• The Raytown Viaduct

• The Tomb of the Unknown Raytonian
• Ray Ridge
• Apalachiacola

MediaEdit

Local musiciansEdit

• The Bone Crushers - All girl heavy metal trio who use power tools during their performances

• Clyde Boyle and His Raytones

• Hairballs from Hell

• Hank Wilson and His Harmonica Hepcats

• Monty Miller and His Musical Saw

• Spilled Brains

PersonalitiesEdit

• Chuck Duval the Shopper's Pal - Host of a consumer affairs show on K-RAY Radio

• Clive Montaigne - Guest director at The Pepperpot Playhouse

• Eddie Edwards - Host of Bowling for Dishes, Good Morning, Raytown and the Lady Be Lovely pageant

• Larry McCary - Rhyming weatherman and host of The Big Wheel

• Leslie LaMoyne - Actor who appeared on an episode of Tri-State’s Most Wanted

• Maggie Scott - Reporter for Ray Witness News

• Richard Garner - Reporter for Ray Witness News and host of Meet the Town

• Shecky Lewis - Comedian and emcee at The Bigger Jigger

• Travis - Host of K-RAY Tele-Shopper

PublicationsEdit

• Casanova magazine

• The Celebrity Snooper magazine

• The Church Chimes newsletter

• Gun & Tire magazine

• House Attraction magazine

• House Beautiful magazine

• Infant Beautiful magazine

• Ladies Circle magazine

• Lost Romance magazine

• The National Informer magazine

• The Penny Saver newspaper

• Raytown Bugle - The local newspaper where Fran Crowley worked as a reporter

• The Raytown Courier

• The Raytown Singles  (A paper featuring lonely heart ads for single Raytown residents)

• The Thrifty Spender

TelevisionEdit

• Bowling for Dishes

• The Big Wheel

• Fishing With Orlando

• Good Morning, Raytown

• K-RAY Radio/TV Station

• K-RAY Tele-Shopper

• Meet the Town

• Ray Witness News

• Tri-State's Most Wanted

SchoolsEdit

• Edgar Allan Poe High School

• Gilmore Junior High School

• Raytown Junior College

• Tommy Tanner Tap Academy

• Up, Up and Away Airline Academy

Streets and developmentsEdit

• Ray Heights

• Ray Lane (formerly Old Decatur Road)

• Ray Meadows Housing Development

• Route 5

• The Wagons Ho Trailer Park

Theaters and arenasEdit

• The Pepper Pot Playhouse

• Ray Arena

• Ray Downs Horse Track

• The Rayalto Theatre

• The Rayland Ballroom

• The Rayplex Movie Theatrey
• The Bijou Theatre