Sand Coulee was first populated by immigrant farmers. Originally known as Giffin, after the McGiffin family who first dwelled in the area; the name was changed to describe the terrain after the family moved. The area really experienced growth when coal was discovered. The Great Northern Railroad decided to develop the Sand Coulee coal mines to supply them with the necessary fuel. But with the increased use of electricity and other power sources the mines closed during the 1920s and 1930s.
Sand Coulee is located in northern Montana, southeast of Great Falls on Highway 227.