While I don't doubt there is some element of this going on, I would point out that there is a "Devil's Cauldron" in Lydford Gorge, Devon, UK - one that to anybody familiar with the area, the above image could be very reminiscent of.
Now, that doesn't detract from your later comment, and that there absolutely should be an effort to reinstate/formally adopt the native names where they existed in the US...but it may be an explanation as to where some of those places may have got names that aren't rooted in colonialist bigotry.
In some cases it could be as simple as the people finding these places (particularly in the eastern US/older states) were reminded of something from 'home' and named it as such (and that pattern would hold as you expand west, with the next example being named after it's eastern US counterpart). It's why you have so many towns and cities sharing names with European (and especially English) towns and cities too.
wclancy09 t1_j0dz84d wrote
Reply to comment by dankmeeeem in Devil's Bathtub in Duffield, Virginia. 7/4/21. [4032x3024] [OC] by Berryfly04
While I don't doubt there is some element of this going on, I would point out that there is a "Devil's Cauldron" in Lydford Gorge, Devon, UK - one that to anybody familiar with the area, the above image could be very reminiscent of.
Now, that doesn't detract from your later comment, and that there absolutely should be an effort to reinstate/formally adopt the native names where they existed in the US...but it may be an explanation as to where some of those places may have got names that aren't rooted in colonialist bigotry.
In some cases it could be as simple as the people finding these places (particularly in the eastern US/older states) were reminded of something from 'home' and named it as such (and that pattern would hold as you expand west, with the next example being named after it's eastern US counterpart). It's why you have so many towns and cities sharing names with European (and especially English) towns and cities too.