熊耳河橋(qiao),原為單孔石(shi)橋(qiao),清乾(qian)隆三年(1738)知州張(zhang)鉞(yue)重修,橋(qiao)長34米、寬 6.83米,橋(qiao)孔為一伏(fu)一券(quan)式,用大(da)方石(shi)排列砌造。
四(si)年,河(he)水(shui)暴漲,橋被沖(chong)塌。十年,知州張鉞為解除水(shui)患(huan)率郡人重修,并(bing)增石(shi)(shi)券1孔,《重修熊耳河(he)橋碑記》有較詳記述。券上雕有飛禽、花草、海石(shi)(shi)榴、鳳鳥等(deng),正中券頂(ding)刻1獸頭,怒目大嘴,象征鎮(zhen)服水(shui)患(huan)。伏石(shi)(shi)左右(you)兩(liang)角各刻 1龍,龍頭向上,四(si)肢伸開,造型(xing)精美。從雕刻手法和(he)生物形態(tai)來看,當創建于宋(song)元之際。橋券凈跨度為4.72米,矢高2.4米,整個券基本上呈半圓相(xiang)等(deng)。與宋(song)代法式相(xiang)吻(wen)合,現(xian)仍為車輛(liang)通行要道。
按照《鄭州(zhou)文物志》的(de)記載,在鄭州(zhou)市區,現存年代較久(jiu)(jiu)遠的(de)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)是位于(yu)管(guan)城區南(nan)關(guan)大街上的(de)熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)耳(er)河(he)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。據(ju)說“熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)耳(er)河(he)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”原來(lai)叫(jiao)“熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)兒(er)(er)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”。關(guan)于(yu)熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)兒(er)(er)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)來(lai)歷,民(min)間(jian)是這樣傳(chuan)說的(de):明(ming)朝末年,在鄭州(zhou)的(de)石柱(zhu)村(今(jin)天(tian)的(de)新圃東街),住(zhu)著(zhu)兄弟(di)(di)兩人(ren),哥哥叫(jiao)熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)大,弟(di)(di)弟(di)(di)叫(jiao)熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)二。因為父母雙亡,家(jia)貧無以為生(sheng)(sheng),哥哥就把(ba)弟(di)(di)弟(di)(di)送到鄭州(zhou)城里南(nan)門(men)內(nei)大戶張(zhang)谷囤家(jia)里當(dang)童(tong)仆。張(zhang)大戶頗有錢(qian)財(cai),花錢(qian)捐(juan)了(le)(le)(le)個監生(sheng)(sheng),人(ren)稱(cheng)張(zhang)監生(sheng)(sheng)。熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)二眉清目秀,干活(huo)勤(qin)快(kuai)。張(zhang)監生(sheng)(sheng)很喜(xi)歡熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)二,就給熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)二改名叫(jiao)熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)兒(er)(er),并提拔(ba)他當(dang)上了(le)(le)(le)管(guan)家(jia)。熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)兒(er)(er)生(sheng)(sheng)活(huo)儉(jian)樸,所(suo)以天(tian)長日(ri)久(jiu)(jiu),就積(ji)(ji)攢了(le)(le)(le)些銀錢(qian)。當(dang)時(shi)(shi)南(nan)關(guan)有條小河(he),每(mei)到秋(qiu)季河(he)水都泛濫成災。河(he)上面又(you)沒有橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao),來(lai)往(wang)行人(ren)趟水過河(he)都很不方(fang)便。熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)兒(er)(er)就把(ba)積(ji)(ji)攢下(xia)來(lai)的(de)錢(qian)全部(bu)拿出來(lai),帶(dai)領(ling)群(qun)眾疏通河(he)道,又(you)修建了(le)(le)(le)一座(zuo)小橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。為了(le)(le)(le)感恩,老百姓就給了(le)(le)(le)熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)兒(er)(er)這座(zuo)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)“冠(guan)名權”。后來(lai)河(he)以橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)名,就連橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)下(xia)的(de)小河(he)也叫(jiao)熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)兒(er)(er)河(he)了(le)(le)(le)。再后來(lai)時(shi)(shi)間(jian)一長,以訛傳(chuan)訛,“熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)兒(er)(er)”又(you)傳(chuan)成了(le)(le)(le)“熊(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)耳(er)” 。