In 1788, two Yankee traders purchased two and a half million acres of land from the Seneca Indians; a year later Ebenezer "Indian" Allan built the area's first grist (flour) mill just north of the Genesee River's High Falls. By 1810, Colonel Nathaniel Rochester and his partners had purchased Indian Allan's site and more flourmills were built, their waterwheels powered by the river. After construction of the Erie Canal, Rochester became America's first "boom town" as long lines of barges loaded with flour, lumber, and other goods moved along the first canal, which was routed over the Genesee River by means of a stone aqueduct. Rochester also became known as "The Flour City."

The Triphammer building was built as a forge in 1816. A large heavy hammer-the triphammer-was raised by waterpower and dropped to forgewrought iron tools. The Triphammer Building burned in 1977. As the rubble was cleared, a long-forgotten basement room was uncovered that housed the building's massive water wheel. Today Brown's Race Historic District pays tribute to early 19th century entrepreneurs and their fledging technology. Visitors can see the original, rebuilt 25-foot, 12-ton waterwheel ensconced in its original chamber.