Big Bay is an old lumber town founded in 1875 and built by the Brunswick Lumber Company. The mill operations were closed in 1932. Henry Ford reopened the mills in 1942 for use in making panels for "woody" station wagons, but the mills were closed in 1949 again after Ford's death. The town is a census designated place with a population of 265 (2000) and is located in Powell Township.
Sources
Hunt's Guide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, 2d edition, page 213
Wikipedia: Big Bay, Michigan