early 20th century museum quality american folk art hand carved amusement park and/or carnival game head, depicting an beaded man with exaggerated nose. the exact nature of the game is not known. from the limited information provided, there were multiple carved heads, affixed to long poles that would move up and down. the mouths contain holes where a cigarette or some other cylindrical object would be placed, perhaps to be knocked out or used in a ring toss. the carnival artifact originally belonged to the waukesha beach amusement park, known for several years as the "the coney island of southeastern wisconsin." the park was first established in 1901 by tim ryan on a 60 acre tract of land located on the shores of pewaukee lake in waukesha county, where during the 1880's and the 1890's, was a famous tourist attraction known as the springs." at the height of its popularity, waukesha beach amassed crowds of up to 30,000 with its eclectic mix of amenities, including, but not limited to, a hotel, boat cruises, restaurant, roller-skating rink, pony rides, baseball games (with a grandstand) and live music by popular entertainers of the time. trains brought crowds from milwaukee, chicago and other surrounding areas from memorial day to labor day. when the amusement park closed in 1949, the facilities were bulldozed, and the property developed into a sprawling residential landscape. a circular concrete structure that once served as a spring where park visitors would congregate to cool off by the water is the only reminder of the park's existence. the carved head was likely crafted by a german immigrant living in the area. the polychrome enameled finish is largely original, with touch-ups added over time. dates to around 1905-10. original pole intact. measures 14 x 6 x 38 inches. truly a historically rich and distinctive artifact representing early amusement park memorabilia with documented provenance.