Farm produce was often shipped in the form of whiskey or brandy. There were 13 distilleries in Geneva prior to 1830, due largely to the lack of water power for the establishment of flour mills. The opening of water routes to New York City in the early 1820's ended the large-scale distilling industry in Geneva, as farmers could ship their fruit and grains directly to market. The Erie Canal connecting Albany to Buffalo opened in 1825. Towns along the canal route grew more rapidly than the off-canal settlements such as Geneva.
Geneva has a long academic tradition.
In 1825, the Geneva Academy attained state accreditation and became Geneva College. In 1834, a Medical College was established, from which Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female medical doctor in America, was graduated in 1849. The Medical College moved to Syracuse and became part of Syracuse University in 1872. Geneva College was renamed Hobart Free College in 1852 and Hobart College in 1860. The State purchased the Nehemiah Denton farm for the establishment of an agricultural experiment station in 1882.