在距今1000多年的五代十国时期，老埠头就是赫赫有名的潇湘镇，据《老埠头新加义舟记》记载：“潇水自九疑百折而入，于永州北十里老埠头，与湘水会合后，为最古之名邑。五代时设有镇司，曰潇湘镇；明时改设驿丞，曰湘口驿。”
明代时的湘口驿，更是一个繁华的商业市镇了。在这里，逆潇水而上可达永州，道州；逆湘水而上可达全州；顺湘水而下可达衡州（今衡阳市蒸湘区）、潭州（今湘潭市岳塘区）、岳州（今岳阳市岳阳楼区），得天独厚的交通条件，造成了老埠头的繁华。
老埠头，现隶属冷水滩区蔡市镇，因靠近潇湘河边，是众人过河的渡口之处，“老”是因为历史悠久，“埠头”是方言码头的谐音，故得名老埠头。
In the period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms a thousand years ago, Lao Bu Tou refers to the very renowned township, Xiaoxiang. The recordation of Newly Added Volunteer Boats in Lao Bu Tou goes like this: “The XiaoshuiRiverwinds a hundred crankles all its way from Jiuyi Mount and enters Lao Bu Tou, ten Li away in northern Yongzhou. It is in Lao Bu Tou, where theXiaoshuiRivermeets withXiangshuiRiver. Lao Bu Tou is the most old-age renowned town. In the period of Five Dynasties, head of town was set here and it was named asXiaoxiangTownship. To the Ming Dynasty, it was changed as Xiang Kou Stage, set with Head of Stage.
Xiang Kou Stage had become a much more prosperous business town to the period of Ming Dynasty. From Xiang Kou Stage, when going up against the Xiaoshui River current, one can reach Yongzhou and Daozhou; when going up against the Xiangshui River current, one can reach Quanzhou; when going down along the Xiangshui River, one can reach Hengzhou (Zhengxiang District of Hengyang City today), Tanzhou (Yuetang District of Xiangtan City today) and Yuezhou (Yueyanglou District of Yueyang City today). The advantaged transportation conditions accomplished Lao Bu Tou’s flourish.
Lao Bu Tou now is subjected to Caishi Township of Lengshuitan District. It lies close to the river and has been being the ferry where people cross the river, so it is called Lao Bu Tou. Lao means a long history. “Bu Tou” is the pronunciation of “ferry” in local dialect.