Country United States County Barren ZIP codes 42130 Local time Tuesday 7:08 PM | State Kentucky Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6) Elevation 247 m | |
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Area code(s) Area Code 270 Exchange: 678 Weather 11°C, Wind W at 13 km/h, 94% Humidity | ||
Eighty Eight is an unincorporated community in Barren County, Kentucky, United States. It is part of the Glasgow Micropolitan Statistical Area and is 10 miles east of Glasgow on State Highway 90. The town's biggest claim to fame was the celebration of August 8, 1988 (08/08/88). People with an affinity for the number 8 descended upon the town from various parts of the nation and world, and the celebration was televised on national television. A similar celebration was held August 8, 2008 (08/08/08). National media coverage this time was usurped by the 2008 Summer Olympics.
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Map of Eighty Eight, KY 42130, USA
Name
As reported in a New York Times article, the town was named in 1860 by Dabnie Nunnally, the community's first postmaster. He had little faith in the legibility of his handwriting, and thought that using numbers would solve the problem. He then reached into his pocket and came up with 88 cents. Another explanation is that the hamlet is 8.8 miles from Glasgow.
The only store in this small town was opened and run by the Richardson Brothers. It was the main source for feed, grocery, hardware and farm needs. It was closed in the late 1980s. The building was restored in 2005 and reopened as the Eighty Eight General Store. The historic post office (Zip Code 42130) was kept intact and is now open to the public. It is no longer in service however and was discontinued in 1984.
Culture
Eighty Eight is home to a congregation of the Church of Christ. Although sometimes mistakenly called Eighty Eight Church of Christ, the proper name is Refuge Church of Christ.