ðə hˈaɪləndz wʌzðə lˈæst ˈɛɹiə nˌɪɹ dˈaʊntaʊn lˈuːizvˌɪl təbi ˈɜːbənˌaɪzd, sˈɪns ɪts stˈiːp ɪŋklˈaɪn əbˌʌv ðə flˈʌd plˈeɪn mˌeɪd tɹˈævəl dˈɪfɪkəlt, ænd ðɪ ˈɛɹiə ʃˈoʊd nˈoʊ sˈaɪnz ʌv ˈɜːbən dɪvˈɛləpmənt ʌntˈɪl dʒˈʌst bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə sˈɪvəl wˈɔːɹ.
The Highlands was the last area near downtown Louisville to be urbanized, since its steep  incline above the flood plain made travel difficult, and the area showed no signs of urban development until just before the Civil War.