The beginnings of the Ivyland Fire Company date back as far as 1876. In that year, a supply of canvas fire-buckets with rope handles, fire hooks, and a horn for sounding an alarm was purchased. The equipment was stored in William Henry Barton’s sawmill on the corner of Wilson and Mason (now Pennsylvania) Avenues, where the War Memorial stands today. Barton was believed to be the first fire chief.

In the event of a fire the horn would be blown, and all of the approximately 20 residents would rush to form a bucket brigade. A double bucket line would be formed, with loaded buckets moving hand to hand from the nearest water source to the fire. The buckets were emptied on to the fire, and were passed back for refilling via the second line.

Ironically, William Henry Barton’s sawmill-machine shop-smithy complex was the scene of Ivyland’s largest fire to date. In January of 1893, while the ground was covered with snow, fire destroyed Barton’s mill building, wheelwright, and blacksmith shop, along with his brother Edmund’s carpenter shop and icehouse, and stables belonging to Mrs. Edwards and Silar R. Yerkes. William Barton began rebuilding his mill immediately after the fire.

With that devastating fire, the Fire Company was homeless, and had to store its equipment in a shed behind George Stockburger’s butcher shop, located at 95 Gough Avenue. George also served as chief.

By 1895, Edmund Barton had finished construction on a new two-story building, that would be known for many years as Barton’s hall. Located at 88 Wilson Avenue, Barton had his carpenter shop on the first floor, and an open floor and stage on the second.