J. Frank Raley was often referred to as the Senior Statesman of St. Mary's County. Raley's papers document his involvement with a broad range of activities related to the advancement of St. Mary's County, including the Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas Commission, Historic St. Mary’s City, the Maryland Constitutional Convention, St. Mary’s County Technology Council, the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance, the Sotterley Foundation, the Tri-County Council, and his service as a longtime member of the St. Mary's College of Maryland Board of Trustees. Raley also collected a large amount of loose and historical material related to St. Mary's County.