Kingston in Hunt County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

The Shields Giants

Photographed by James Hulse, August 14, 2025

1. The Shields Giants Marker

Inscription. The Shields Brothers, known as the "Texas Giants," were featured attractions of the Barnum & Bailey Circus in the 1880s, travelling throughout the northeast U.S. and Canada. Noted for their unusual heights, Guss stood 7'10", Frank, 7'11 ¾'', Jack, 7'11 ¾", and Shade, 7'8'". Shade, the youngest brother, continued his show business career into the 1890s. The four brothers grew up three and half miles east of Kingston on a farm near the old Merrick community. After their retirement from show business the four brothers took an active part in the religious, civic and business life in Hunt County. Descendants of the brothers still live in the area.

Erected 1993 by Descendants of the Shields Brothers.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Entertainment.

Location. 33° 15.132′ N, 96° 10.563′ W. Marker is in Kingston, Texas, in Hunt County. It is on U.S. 69 0.1 miles north of Farm to Market Road 3427, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located along the highway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4669 N U.S Hwy 69,

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Greenville TX 75401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region

and in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Kingston Baptist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Harrell Camp Ground (approx. 0.6 miles away); Birthplace of Audie Murphy (approx. 1.4 miles away); Audie Murphy (approx. 2.8 miles away); First Baptist Church of Celeste (approx. 3 miles away); Central National Road of The Republic of Texas (approx. 3.2 miles away); Birthplace of Mack Harrell (approx. 3.3 miles away); White Rock Community (approx. 3½ miles away).

Also see . . . Towering Texans’ Circus Tour. Texas Co-op Power

In frontier Texas, where high-heeled boots and 10-gallon
Photographed by James Hulse, August 14, 2025

2. The Shields Giants Marker
hats gave even normal-sized hombres a vertical advantage, the Shields brothers rose above the rest like skyscrapers in downtown Dallas. Their heads reached so high that in 1879 they attracted the attention of one of P.T. Barnum’s talent scouts. Four of the brothers, not so enamored with scratching out a living on their father’s hardscrabble farm in northeastern Texas, were easily persuaded to join the circus and travel the country as entertainers—billed as the Texas Giants.

(Submitted on August 16, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

The view of the Shields Giants Marker along the highway image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, August 14, 2025

3. The view of the Shields Giants Marker along the highway

Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 15, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 191 times since then and 76 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 15, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.