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{{Infobox officeholder​

{{Infobox officeholder

| name=Arthur Thomas "Tom" Colten​​

| name=Arthur Thomas "Tom" Colten​​

| nationality=[[United States|American​]]

| nationality=[[United States|American​]]

'''Arthur Thomas Colten''', known as '''Tom Colten''' (October 21, 1922 – December 5, 2004), was a [[Louisiana]] [[newspaper]]man and [[politician]] from the 1950s to the 1990s who rose from a small-town [[mayor]]alty position to head his state's Department of Transportation and Development under three governors of both parties. Colten was also active in the slow process of establishing a viable [[Republican Party]] in his adopted state.​

'''Arthur Thomas Colten''', known as '''Tom Colten''' (October 21, 1922 – December 5, 2004), was a [[Louisiana]] [[newspaper]]man and [[politician]] from the 1950s to the 1990s who rose from a small-town [[mayor]]alty position to head his state's Department of Transportation and Development under three governors of both parties. Colten was also active in the slow process of establishing a viable [[Republican Party]] in his adopted state.​

==The Michigan Connection==

==The Michigan connection==

A [[Michigan]] native, Colten was the second of four children born to Arthur Lewis Colten (originally Cohen)  (1893-1938) and the former Judith Ginsberg (1894-1934), a wealthy couple engaged in textile manufacturing, first in [[Detroit]] and then in Grand Haven in Ottawa County on Lake Michigan, where the Coltens built a palatial mansion in nearby Spring Lake. Tom's father became  involved in a labor dispute and was ordered by the National Labor Relations Board to reinstate employees of their Kiddie Kover Manufacturing Company who had been fired in 1937 for unionization activities. Arthur Colten became so despondent over the directive that at the age of forty-five he took his own life with a .32 caliber pistol on a Sunday afternoon in their  Spring Lake home. Only fifteen at the time, Tom Colten rushed to the scene of the tragedy; his father died two hours later in a nearby hospital. Tom was only fifteen at the time. Colten feared that unionization would bankrupt his children's clothing business.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Arthur Thomas Colten, Minden's "Best Damn Yankee" Republican Mayor: Biography and Analysis, ''North Louisiana History,'' Vol. 50 (Spring 2019), pp. 39-40; hereinafter cited as NLH.</ref>

A [[Michigan]] native, Colten was the second of four children born to Arthur Lewis Colten (originally Cohen)  (1893-1938) and the former Judith Ginsberg (1894-1934), a wealthy couple engaged in textile manufacturing, first in [[Detroit]] and then in Grand Haven in Ottawa County on Lake Michigan, where the Coltens built a palatial mansion in nearby Spring Lake. Tom's father became  involved in a labor dispute and was ordered by the National Labor Relations Board to reinstate employees of their Kiddie Kover Manufacturing Company who had been fired in 1937 for unionization activities. Arthur Colten became so despondent over the directive that at the age of forty-five he took his own life with a .32 caliber pistol on a Sunday afternoon in their  Spring Lake home. Only fifteen at the time, Tom Colten rushed to the scene of the tragedy; his father died two hours later in a nearby hospital. Tom was only fifteen at the time. Colten feared that unionization would bankrupt his children's clothing business.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Arthur Thomas Colten, Minden's "Best Damn Yankee" Republican Mayor: Biography and Analysis, ''North Louisiana History,'' Vol. 50 (Spring 2019), pp. 39-40; hereinafter cited as NLH.</ref>

==From Indiana to Louisiana==

==From Indiana to Louisiana==

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In 1947, Colten married the former Jane Kimmel (1923-2013). The newlyweds first settled in  [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]], but in 1948 they relocated to Bogalusa in Washington Parish in southeastern Louisiana. There Colten became the business manager and stockholder of ''The Bogalusa Daily News.'' Colten left that position in 1955 and relocated to [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, to become publisher of what became the daily ''Minden Press-Herald,'' which at the time consisted of two separate weekly papers, the ''Minden Press'' on Mondays and the ''Minden Herald'' on Thursdays. Major (not a military title) Louis dePingre' was the editor of the papers at the time and later entered business in Minden. As publisher, Colten was active in civic affairs and became well known in the community. He was initially in partnership in Minden Newspapers with Charles A. Nutter of New Orleans but purchased Nutter's half of the company on January 29, 1962. Nutter became for a short time the executive secretary of [[Hallmark Cards]] in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]].<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 29, 1962, p.1.</ref><ref>''Minden Herald,'' February 1, 1962, p. 2.</ref>​

In 1947, Colten married the former Jane Kimmel (1923-2013), and the newlyweds first settled in  [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]], but in 1948 they relocated to Bogalusa in Washington Parish in southeastern Louisiana. There Colten became the business manager and stockholder of ''The Bogalusa Daily News.'' Colten left that position in 1955 and relocated to [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, to become publisher of what became the daily ''Minden Press-Herald,'' which at the time consisted of two separate weekly papers, the ''Minden Press'' on Mondays and the ''Minden Herald'' on Thursdays. Major (not a military title) Louis dePingre' was the editor of the papers at the time and later entered business in Minden. As publisher, Colten was active in civic affairs and became well known in the community. He was initially in partnership in Minden Newspapers with Charles A. Nutter of New Orleans but purchased Nutter's half of the company on January 29, 1962. Nutter became for a short time the executive secretary of [[Hallmark Cards]] in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]].<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 29, 1962, p.1.</ref><ref>''Minden Herald,'' February 1, 1962, p. 2.</ref>​

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In 1960, Colten named [[Charles Maple]] as news editor of both ''The Press'' and ''The Herald.'' Maple came to Minden from Murfreesboro,  [[Arkansas]], where he had been publisher and editor of ''The Pike County Press."<ref>''Minden Press,'' November 14, 1960, p. 1.</ref> In 1963, Colten was named "Boss of the Year" in Minden.<ref name=backtochamber/> He sold the ''Press-Herald'' in 1965 and became the executive director of the Minden [[Chamber of Commerce]] until June 1966, when he announced his candidacy for mayor.<ref>''Minden Press-Herald,'' June 12, 1966, p. 1.</ref>  Maple served a stint as the chamber director to succeed Colten beginning in September 1966.<ref>"Maple Named to Chamber Post," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' August 1, 1966, p. 1.</ref>​

In 1960, Colten named [[Charles Maple]] as news editor of both ''The Press'' and ''The Herald.'' Maple came to Minden from Murfreesboro,  [[Arkansas]], where he had been publisher and editor of ''The Pike County Press."<ref>''Minden Press,'' November 14, 1960, p. 1.</ref> In 1963, Colten was named "Boss of the Year" in Minden.<ref name=backtochamber/> He sold the ''Press-Herald'' in 1965 and became the executive director of the Minden [[Chamber of Commerce]] until June 1966, when he announced his candidacy for mayor.<ref>''Minden Press-Herald,'' June 12, 1966, p. 1.</ref>  Maple served a stint as the chamber director to succeed Colten beginning in September 1966.<ref>"Maple Named to Chamber Post," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' August 1, 1966, p. 1.</ref>​