What's up with this shoe-tree?

Here are two pictures of something that I came across in California, Arizona or New Mexico, I don't really remember where it was. Does anyone recognize it or know the story behind it? It was cool, eventhough it made me surprised...

http://user.tninet.se/~ajy200s/shoe1.jpg
http://user.tninet.se/~ajy200s/shoe2.jpg

Check this out: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/shoetrees.html

Those guys at RoadsideAmerica may have gotten there first, but we were the first to document the life-cycle of a shoe tree.

Check out: Shoe Trees—Icons of the American Road and Gerald Thurman's photos of the entire cycle.