How did so many Midwest towns and locations end up with Native American names when racism and violence and erasure of Native culture was so prevalent?

by MontagueorCapulet
kitchensink108

There was a related question a few years back that doesn't answer your exact question but I believe gives good insight into it. The thread includes fairly detailed responses from /u/hatari_bwana and /u/ggarcimer15.

/u/Georgy_K_Zhukov has a very thorough answer to the same related question here.

There's also an answer by /u/ScallopOolong to another related question, but which I feel is a particularly relevant response.