Ruth Kerr and others founded Westmont in 1937. In 1940, it became a liberal arts college committed to the historic Christian faith. Dr. Wallace Emerson, the first president, envisioned an institution that rivaled the best colleges nationwide, and he set the standard for academic rigor and excellence that still applies. By 1945, Westmont outgrew its facilities in Los Angeles and moved to the former Dwight Murphy estate in Santa Barbara with its 125 acres and beautiful Mediterranean house. Acquiring another property and the former Deane School for boys completed the campus that features the pathways, stone bridges, and gardens of the former estates.