Addiewell is known for both Coal Mining and Shiel Mining, in fact many would call it a company village. Youngs Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company housed the workforce of the first major works in the industry, building 362 houses in the 1860's. Conditions when built were said to be the envy of the neighbouring coal miners. The Sreets adjacent to Loganlea Colliery were named after famous people, many of them scientists e.g Livingstone Street, Watt Street and Faraday Place.

The Mechanics Institute (which had a Library and Games Hall) occupied a large area above the store. The railway station still open today opened in 1866.  A Mission Church dated from 1873, the Parish Church was built in 1885. A Public School was built in 1896 and a Roman Catholic School in 1916.