Why visit Shields
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 32 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Center Road – Tittabawassee River Bridge, Ammi and William Wright House, Roethke Houses and Roberts Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 41 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Shields
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Shields
Shields is an unincorporated community in Thomas Township, Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also a census-designated place (CDP) for statistical purposes, but with no legal status as an incorporated municipality. The population of the CDP was 7,035 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Shields, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Center Road – Tittabawassee River Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Road bridge in James Township, United States of America
Museums and landmarks4
Ammi and William Wright House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Single family home located at 207 Garden Lane in Saginaw, Michigan
Roethke Houses
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Two side-by-side single family homes in Saginaw, Michigan
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Oakwood Memorial Mausoleum
Monument and historic site · 2.1 mi
Mausoleum in Saginaw, Michigan
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes32
Jet's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 2.3 mi
5789 State Street, Saginaw
Mo-Su 10:00-23:00; Fr,Sa 10:00-24:00
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.5 mi
8099 Gratiot Road, Saginaw
Mo-We 06:00-19:00; Fr-Su 06:00-19:00
Biggby Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.4 mi
5775 State Street, Saginaw
Mo-Sa 06:00-20:00; Su 07:00-20:00
20 more on the map.
History
A post office operated in Shields from August 15, 1894 until Dec 15, 1902.
The Shields brothers William and Arthur were born in 1826 and 1830 respectively in County Armagh, Ireland. Along with their family, they immigrated to Michigan settling in Thomas Township in 1842. The bachelor brothers settled on 160 acres (0.65 km2) in section three. Eventually the southeastern part of the Township came to be known as the Shields area.
Paines is a place within James Township and the CDP located on Dutch Road between River Roads and Stroebel Roads. Paines was first settled in 1871 and named for A. B. Paine, a local brick manufacturer. It was a station at the junction of the Michigan Central and the Pere Marquette rail lines. A post office named "Painesville" was established on October 10, 1873, closed on May 29, 1876, and reopened on July 14, 1876. The office was renamed "Paines" on October 19, 1880 and continued until June 30, 1904.
From the History section of Shields, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries28
Healthcare1
Map of Shields
90 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 16°F | 2.2 in | 11.4 in |
| Feb | 33°F | 17°F | 1.9 in | 9.1 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 25°F | 2.0 in | 5.0 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 35°F | 3.6 in | 1.3 in |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 41°F | 2.9 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 31°F | 2.6 in | 2.3 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 23°F | 2.0 in | 11.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Saginaw #3 (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Saginaw County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-07-09: Severe Storms And Flooding (Dam/Levee Break)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-06-18: Flooding (Flood)
- 2008-07-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
MBS International Airport (MBS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Saginaw 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Freeland 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Hemlock 8 mi west, about 13 min by car
- Buena Vista 9 mi east, about 14 min by car
- Zilwaukee 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- Bridgeport 10 mi east, about 17 min by car
- St. Charles 10 mi southwest, about 16 min by car
- Auburn 12 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Bay City 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Midland 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Roethke Houses - Saginaw Michigan, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wright House 3 - Saginaw Michigan, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oakwood Memorial Mausoleum (32342451300), Mike Fritcher, CC BY-SA 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.