據碑刻(ke)文和(he)《紅水(shui)縣志(zhi)》載:明(ming)(ming)萬歷間,李汶總督三邊,前城損壞。汶與田樂議奏筑(zhu)(zhu)城,文臣方(fang)岳,荊州俊,元戎孫仁等助(zhu)成。復(fu)令(ling)參將(jiang)達云、蕭如(ru)薰相度地址。明(ming)(ming)萬歷丙午三十四年(nian)冬月起工(gong),戊申三十六(liu)(liu)年(nian)六(liu)(liu)月落成,乃曰永泰。雍正(zheng)二年(nian),忠信公岳東(dong)美于城內東(dong)西街并(bing)北角,設(she)五(wu)眼井,以作五(wu)臟,又于北角設(she)一大(da)池,曰甘露池,合諸井,并(bing)名六(liu)(liu)腑。由此而知,該城始建(jian)于明(ming)(ming)代,清代曾補筑(zhu)(zhu)。城址保存較好,對(dui)研究(jiu)明(ming)(ming)清兩代軍事防務和(he)城建(jian)史(shi)、建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)技術及建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)思想(xiang)文化有重要價值。
永泰(tai)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)址位(wei)景泰(tai)縣寺灘鄉永泰(tai)村。是一(yi)座明清時期駐(zhu)軍防務的大(da)型土筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)古城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)平面(mian)略似(si)烏龜,故又(you)名龜城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)。東西(xi)長520米(mi),南(nan)北(bei)寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)500米(mi),占地面(mian)積30萬余平方米(mi)。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻黃土夾(jia)砂夯筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu),高8—12米(mi),墻基(ji)寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)6米(mi),頂寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)5米(mi),夯層厚0.12—0.14米(mi)。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)東、西(xi)、北(bei)三面(mian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)有半圓形(xing)月城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門(men)南(nan)開,寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)4米(mi)。外(wai)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)甕城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),形(xing)似(si)龜頭。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)四周有護城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)河,寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)約(yue)6米(mi),深約(yue)2.5米(mi)。距北(bei)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻20米(mi)處筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)大(da)墩(dun)1座,墩(dun)東北(bei)有小墩(dun)5座,呈一(yi)字形(xing)排列。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)西(xi)有地下泉水(shui)串(chuan)流城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)內(nei)五井之(zhi)中,俗稱“五臟”。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)內(nei)原有建筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)無(wu)存,出土有石碑等文物(wu)。
介于(yu)高山(shan)、戈(ge)壁(bi)、黃(huang)河、沙漠(mo)、綠洲相交(jiao)匯的(de)(de)(de)地方,得(de)天獨(du)厚的(de)(de)(de)地理(li)優(you)勢,給這座古城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)留下(xia)了非常寶(bao)貴(gui)的(de)(de)(de)人文生(sheng)態遺產。從(cong)永泰城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)所(suo)處的(de)(de)(de)位置(zhi)來看,它是(shi)(shi)蘭州北部(bu)的(de)(de)(de)戰略屏障,從(cong)這里向東渡過黃(huang)河,經(jing)(jing)高平(ping)(固(gu)原)、平(ping)涼(liang)、涇陽等地可(ke)(ke)以(yi)抵達長(chang)安。向西沿古驛道經(jing)(jing)寬溝(gou)、裴(pei)家(jia)營、大(da)(da)靖營等地可(ke)(ke)以(yi)抵達絲路重鎮武威(wei)。永泰城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)周(zhou)邊都是(shi)(shi)一馬平(ping)川的(de)(de)(de)戈(ge)壁(bi)灘(tan)(tan),當地人把永泰城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)北面(mian)(mian)的(de)(de)(de)荒灘(tan)(tan)稱(cheng)之為永泰川、草窩灘(tan)(tan),南面(mian)(mian)是(shi)(shi)山(shan)大(da)(da)溝(gou)深的(de)(de)(de)老(lao)虎山(shan),東西兩面(mian)(mian)則(ze)(ze)是(shi)(shi)絲路古道和長(chang)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)。由于(yu)明代中(zhong)央政府防守(shou)的(de)(de)(de)重點(dian)是(shi)(shi)北方的(de)(de)(de)瓦剌、韃靼等蒙古部(bu)眾。因而,永泰城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)址就(jiu)選在了面(mian)(mian)臨(lin)平(ping)川,背(bei)靠大(da)(da)山(shan),進(jin)(jin)可(ke)(ke)攻,退(tui)可(ke)(ke)守(shou)的(de)(de)(de)地方。站(zhan)在永泰城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)上(shang)就(jiu)能(neng)看到,永泰城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)北面(mian)(mian)一馬平(ping)川,是(shi)(shi)排兵布陣的(de)(de)(de)好(hao)地方;后面(mian)(mian)則(ze)(ze)是(shi)(shi)山(shan)大(da)(da)溝(gou)深的(de)(de)(de)老(lao)虎山(shan),是(shi)(shi)退(tui)守(shou)隱(yin)蔽的(de)(de)(de)好(hao)去處。敵軍進(jin)(jin)則(ze)(ze)無(wu)險可(ke)(ke)倚,我(wo)軍退(tui)則(ze)(ze)有山(shan)可(ke)(ke)藏,可(ke)(ke)謂是(shi)(shi)占盡地利。