Should one pick a college for its wholesomeness or for major strength

It depends.

If you are looking at a pre-professional major or a have a highly specific interest within your prospective major, then the strength of the major department may matter.

For a common liberal arts major, as long as a quick scan of the catalog indicates enough courses of interest per semester (and there are no red flags about the department), the overall college experience/ambience may be more important.