[J. Thomas Scharf (1886)] Drum Hill, on which is located one of the public schools of the village, derives its name from the curi-ous fact that the ground, when trodden or stamped upon in certain places, gives forth a sound as if it were hollow, and resembling the subdued roaring of a large drum. No satisfactory explanation has been given of the phenomenon. The same thing, however, can be noticed in various parts of the town of Cort-landt, though generally not so distinctly as at Drum Hill. On the eminence just north of Main Street, and at about equal distances east and west of St. Gabriel's church, are the remains of two forts. A number of stones collected together into a low wall on the top of a knoll indicate the position of the easterly fort. The fort on the west was an earth-works, and was on the brow of the hill overlooking the river. Both were evidently intended only for lookout sta-tions. The remains of barracks about midway be-tween the forts were formerly noticeable, but have been cleared away. CHURCHES OF PEEKSKILL. In Peekskill are located thirteen churches, which are distributed among the different denominations as follows : Presbyterian, two; Methodist Episcopal, tw<>; African Methodist Episcopal, one; Protestant Episcopal, one; Reformed Dutch, one; Baptist, one; Wesleyan Methodist, one; Christian Disciples, one; Society of Friends, two; Roman Catholic, one. Histo-ries of each of them are appended.