A Brief History
The history of Westmont began in Los Angeles in 1937 with the establishment of the Bible Missionary Institute (later renamed the Western Bible College). In 1940 Ruth Kerr and the other founders realized that a liberal arts curriculum was the best direction for the school. The college was renamed Westmont, and Dr. Wallace Emerson, the first president, began to envision a Christian liberal arts college that would take its place among the best colleges in the nation.
By 1944, Westmont had outgrown its facilities in Los Angeles. The search for a new campus led Mrs. Kerr and the trustees to the former Dwight Murphy estate in Montecito with its 125 acres and beautiful Mediterranean house. Westmont purchased this property and moved to the Santa Barbara area in 1945.
Set in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, Westmont’s wooded and scenic acres provide a beautiful environment for a residential college. The campus includes buildings and land from two former estates and the historic Deane School for Boys. The grounds still feature the pathways, stone bridges, and garden atmosphere typical of Montecito, a lovely suburb of Santa Barbara.
While Westmont has sought to preserve and use the original structures, it has also built new facilities, including the Roger John Voskuyl Library, the restored Westmont Art Center, the Whittier Science Building, the Murchison Gymnasium Complex, and the Ruth Kerr Memorial Student Center. We are currently anticipating the addition of the Winter Hall for Science and Mathematics, and the Adams Center for the Visual Arts.
In 1997, the college celebrated 60 years of growth in this distinctive and consistent heritage. As an institution, we have come of age. We offer a nationally recognized liberal arts education for a new generation of men and women who apply their competency and their personal Christian faith to the challenge and complexity of today’s world.