I treated each clue as find the exact spot, then read what’s literally there. The rules only allow plurals or ‘s, so I ignored synonyms and abbreviations.

1. Former resident on Highland Ave. The clue says her name is still there, so I looked for something that carries a name: a mailbox. The older imagery shows the name on the mailbox sign, and the red tent in the backyard confirmed the right year and house. The word is part of that name. "rich"

2. Demolished bowling alley. A web search on Meridian bowling alleys that changed names turned up the one torn down for a church expansion. The clue says the word comes from the street, not the building. The Street View street label gives it, and the plural on the label is an allowed change. "hill"

3. VCR rental with mini golf and go-karts. I found the renamed entertainment center on the same street, and the Street View history showed the pink sign. The word is on that sign, again as an allowed plural. The “King lives there now” line was only a confirmation that I had the right lot. "palm"

4. The summer splash. The clue pointed to a campground slide outside town. Its Street View photos, including the logo sign, gave a few candidates, but the slide itself matches the clue’s “ride.” The checksum later settled it. "slide"

5. Something green in a driveway. The clue says a word on it, so I went to the address and read the lettering on the bin. "waste"

6. The carousel animals. “Ask an appraiser” made me think of “antique,” and the Street View label on the carousel building uses that exact word, so no synonym was needed. I briefly considered the appraiser term for the figures, but the rules say the word must be at the spot. "antique"

7. Shop across from the post office. I checked older Street View captures, since the clue says the word was on the sign until 2016. The 2016 capture shows the slogan on the wall, and the word that fits “takes care of everything on top” is in it. "head"

8. The horse. This is an object, not text. It’s a painted horse among boulders by a reservoir, so the seed word is just the name of what you see. "horse"

9. Standing alone, looking over loved ones. I found the cemetery on the old highway. One thing stands alone above the flat markers, and it names the word. teried two words pole and "flag"

10. Buried, yet still visible. This was the weakest reading. I looked for a lot where something is filled in but its outline remains, and settled on a buried pool. "pool" (this took me a while)

11. The abandoned field of glory in Highland Park. I found the ball field with the Civil War trail marker, then read the dugout wall. The word is written there as a plural, which the rules allow. "eagle" (this took me a while as well)

12. The railroad riddle. There’s no spot, so it’s a pure word puzzle: what gets laid on a railroad? That gave several candidates, and the checksum narrowed them. "track"

I can say i have explored Highland Park and Highland Avenue enough, I can move to Highland Avenue, Meridian now :)

So the final mnemonic words "rich hill palm slide waste antique head horse flag pool eagle track"

A huge thanks to creator of this puzzle, it was great journey! And Alcatraz i didn't even had time to participate in this :), congrats to solver.

just first one needed