The Chimene Furniture Company, visible in the distance, was located at 210 Main Street. The building that housed it was demolished and replaced in 1904 by a new office building. Other businesses include a dry good shop advertising books, stationary, and clothing; a book exchange, and something called the Racket Store, which seems to have been a type of dry goods or general store.

The McGovern Historical Center (MHC) is the historical and special collections department for The TMC Library. The MHC maintains rare book and archival collections. Artificial collections have been created to provide access to materials without clear provenance in order to increase discoverability. Soon after his arrival in Houston, Dr. McGovern became one of the Library’s most staunch supporters, annually supplying funds for the purchase of rare books and travel support for the librarians to attend meetings of the American Association for the History of Medicine. In 1977, The Library formed a new department with new quarters to collect historical materials and to enhance the rare book collections. In 1982, Dr. McGovern donated his personal collection of rare and historical books to the Library. In 1996 the Library’s Board of Directors named the historical department in his honor.