興武營(ying)古(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)位(wei)于鹽池縣城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)西(xi)北48公里的高(gao)(gao)沙窩(wo)鎮二(er)步坑村坐(zuo)落在明代兩(liang)道長(chang)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)交(jiao)會處的低洼(wa)地(di)上。據記載原是(shi)個(ge)廢城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)。正統九年(nian)(公元1444年(nian))都御史(shi)金濂始筑此城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),就其舊基,設都指(zhi)揮守備。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)周回(hui)三(san)里八分,高(gao)(gao)二(er)丈(zhang)五尺。池深一(yi)丈(zhang)三(san)尺,闊二(er)丈(zhang)。西(xi)、南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)二(er)門(men)(men)及(ji)四(si)角皆有(you)(you)樓。據實地(di)考察古(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)略為矩(ju)形(xing),東墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)長(chang)610米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),西(xi)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)長(chang)580米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)寬470米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),北墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)寬480米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)。為黃土夯(hang)筑,基寬12米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),殘(can)高(gao)(gao)9米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)左右,頂(ding)部殘(can)寬3—5米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),夯(hang)層(ceng)厚20厘米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)左右。曾甃有(you)(you)磚石,早年(nian)已(yi)被拆(chai)除。四(si)隅(yu)有(you)(you)角臺(tai),原有(you)(you)樓,今已(yi)毀(hui)。墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)體(ti)筑有(you)(you)腰墩(dun),東墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)5個(ge),西(xi)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)4個(ge),南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)4個(ge),北墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)5個(ge)。開西(xi)、南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)二(er)門(men)(men)帶甕(weng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),甕(weng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)40米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)見方,西(xi)甕(weng)門(men)(men)面東,南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)甕(weng)門(men)(men)面西(xi)。甕(weng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)均以疊澀磚拱(gong)券門(men)(men)。甕(weng)門(men)(men)頂(ding)部原有(you)(you)二(er)層(ceng)樓建筑,南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)門(men)(men)是(shi)關帝廟,西(xi)門(men)(men)是(shi)財(cai)神廟。南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)門(men)(men)樓和鐵鑄(zhu)造(zao)像毀(hui)于1958年(nian)。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)中間原置鼓(gu)樓,現僅(jin)存夯(hang)筑的土臺(tai),臺(tai)基正方形(xing),邊長(chang)14米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),殘(can)高(gao)(gao)7米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),有(you)(you)磚拱(gong)四(si)通門(men)(men)洞,殘(can)高(gao)(gao)4米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)左右。南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)甕(weng)門(men)(men)外百米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)處有(you)(you)一(yi)口(kou)古(gu)井(jing)(jing),俗城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)龍踏(ta)井(jing)(jing)。興武營(ying)是(shi)長(chang)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)沿線的重要(yao)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)障,有(you)(you)“靈夏重地(di),平慶要(yao)藩”之稱。
興(xing)武(wu)營(ying)(ying)是(shi)(shi)長城(cheng)(cheng)沿線的(de)重(zhong)要城(cheng)(cheng)障(zhang),有“靈(ling)夏重(zhong)地(di),平慶要藩”之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)稱(cheng)。由寧夏抵榆林界(jie)凡四百里(li)(li)(li),無(wu)高山疊澗可倚,則依(yi)花(hua)馬池、興(xing)武(wu)營(ying)(ying)控制。興(xing)武(wu)營(ying)(ying)是(shi)(shi)一份寶貴的(de)文(wen)化遺產,屬鐵(tie)(tie)柱(zhu)泉古(gu)(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)。鐵(tie)(tie)柱(zhu)泉古(gu)(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)位于鹽池縣城(cheng)(cheng)西(xi)(xi)南36公里(li)(li)(li),今屬馮記溝鄉暴(bao)記春(chun)村,東(dong)(dong)至(zhi)哈巴湖(hu)林場8公里(li)(li)(li),西(xi)(xi)到(dao)王沖莊(zhuang)6公里(li)(li)(li),北(bei)抵錢記灘(tan)5公里(li)(li)(li),距(ju)鐵(tie)(tie)柱(zhu)泉村西(xi)(xi)500米,青山馮記溝公路經過此處。嘉靖十(shi)五(wu)(wu)年(1536年),都察院左都御史(shi)兼兵(bing)部左待郎(后為(wei)兵(bing)部尚書)劉天和奉命治理(li)三邊軍務。他與(yu)中丞張(zhang)文(wen)魁(kui)“同謀修鐵(tie)(tie)柱(zhu)泉城(cheng)(cheng),周回四里(li)(li)(li)許(xu),高四尋有余,厚(hou)亦如之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),城(cheng)(cheng)以(yi)衛泉,隍(huang)以(yi)衛城(cheng)(cheng),工(gong)圖永堅。設操守(shou)官領之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),置兵(bing)一千五(wu)(wu)百多(duo),馬八(ba)十(shi)六(liu)匹,兼募土(tu)人(ren)守(shou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)”。城(cheng)(cheng)建成后,結束了170年來韃靼部落(luo)和花(hua)馬池民眾為(wei)水(shui)(shui)(shui)草爭(zheng)戰的(de)歷史(shi)。今考證(zheng)城(cheng)(cheng)內已(yi)不見水(shui)(shui)(shui)泉,當為(wei)風(feng)沙壓埋,城(cheng)(cheng)東(dong)(dong)有泉,為(wei)后人(ren)所為(wei)。當年“水(shui)(shui)(shui)涌如柱(zhu),泉水(shui)(shui)(shui)甘洌,日飲數萬騎弗(fu)涸”的(de)局面今已(yi)不見,但(dan)泉水(shui)(shui)(shui)仍使百畝良田受益(yi),居民飲水(shui)(shui)(shui)也(ye)依(yi)賴于此。北(bei)京大學地(di)理(li)學教授(shou)侯仁之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)先生曾到(dao)鐵(tie)(tie)柱(zhu)泉專(zhuan)程考察。
據(ju)《嘉靖寧(ning)夏(xia)新志》卷三記載:“舊(jiu)有城,不詳其何(he)(he)(he)代何(he)(he)(he)名,惟遺(yi)廢址一面,俗呼為(wei)半個城。”正統九年(nian)(公元(yuan)1444年(nian))都御史金(jin)濂始筑此城,就其舊(jiu)基(ji),設(she)都指揮守備。據(ju)考察,古城略為(wei)矩形(xing),東墻(qiang)長610米(mi)(mi),西墻(qiang)長580米(mi)(mi),南墻(qiang)寬470米(mi)(mi),北墻(qiang)寬480米(mi)(mi)。墻(qiang)體筑有腰(yao)墩,東墻(qiang)5個,西墻(qiang)4個,南墻(qiang)4個,北墻(qiang)5個。南甕門外百(bai)米(mi)(mi)處有一口古井(jing),俗謂龍踏井(jing)。相傳(chuan)有一騎士(shi)經此前(qian)去靈州(zhou)(zhou),時遇(yu)日將落山(shan),遂向一牧(mu)民(min)詢問:“天黑前(qian)能否(fou)到(dao)靈州(zhou)(zhou)?”對日:“靈州(zhou)(zhou)距此還有百(bai)余(yu)里,你除非是神(shen)人神(shen)馬,不可能到(dao)達(da)。”此時馬渴(ke)不得(de)飲(yin),于是一聲長嘶,用(yong)蹄(ti)挖(wa)地(di),頓出一口水(shui)井(jing),清(qing)泉(quan)自溢。牧(mu)民(min)抬頭已(yi)不見騎士(shi)。后來在(zai)甕城門上修(xiu)建了關帝(di)廟,鑄造(zao)關公形(xing)象,并取名龍踏井(jing)。時遇(yu)雨水(shui)較多的年(nian)份,井(jing)水(shui)自溢。當(dang)地(di)居民(min)每(mei)逢年(nian)初一大早來此觀(guan)井(jing),據(ju)說(shuo)井(jing)水(shui)溢向何(he)(he)(he)方,何(he)(he)(he)方便會(hui)豐收。