Tucked away in a small cemetery in the Cape Breton community of Englishtown lies the grave of Angus MacAskill, better known as the Giant MacAskill or the Cape Breton Giant, a man whose extraordinary height and strength brought him international fame during the 19th century.

Born in 1825 on the Isle of Berneray in Scotland's Outer Hebrides, MacAskill immigrated to Nova Scotia with his family as a child and eventually settled in the fishing community of Englishtown. Standing an astonishing 7 feet 9 inches (2.36 metres) tall, he was recognized by the 1981 Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest non-pathological giant in recorded history, meaning his extraordinary height was not attributed to a medical condition.

MacAskill's remarkable stature attracted the attention of legendary showman P. T. Barnum, who recruited him for his travelling exhibitions.…