He was in the mining field, doing exploration and development in Alaska, Colorado, Arizona, Washington, and most significantly in Nevada.

He attended the Oakland Unified School District before going to work for his father in the mining business.

[2] In 1890, Getchell went to Alaska, first working as a shopkeeper in Juneau, before gaining some hands-on experience in mining in the Klondike.

After Alaska, he went to work at the Mammoth Mine in Silver City, Idaho, of which his father was part-owner.

[2] In 1913, the Getchells had moved on to Prescott, where the father and son, along with a third partner, organized the Y-P Mining Company.

[17][18][19] In August 1916, Getchell announced his intention to run for one of the two State Senate seats from Yavapai County.

[2] In 1920, Getchell moved his attention to Nevada, when he took over the Estella and Betty O'Neal mines, located near Battle Mountain.

[25] The O'Neal mine had been dormant for 38 years; however, shortly after Getchell took it over and began to redevelop the property, a large vein of silver was uncovered.

[40][41] In December of that year, the company expanded when they purchased the Noble group of mineral claims near Midas.

[47] In February 1929 Getchell brokered a deal to acquire the Eastern Star Mine, which was near his Golden Circle properties.

[51] In the fall of 1929, Getchell traveled to Snohomish County in Washington State, where he scaled a mountain using ropes and chicken ladders to reach a mineral property.

[54] In 1931, Getchell purchased the Mary Mine, near his existing Gold Circle properties, with several other investors, including Jack Dempsey.

[56][57] In the fall of 1936, Getchell resigned as the president and manager of the Circle Gold & Silver Mines.

[58] In May 1936, Getchell, along with George Wingfield, traveled to the Kelley Creek area, about thirty miles northeast of Golcanda.

[59] Getchell had sent out two prospectors, Emmet Chase and Ed Knight, to inspect a different potential mineral deposit, at which they found disappointing results.

[81][82] In early 1940 Getchell purchased another series of mines and claims, as well as a mill about a mile east of Silver City.

[83] The mines were the Silver King, Will-Emma, and Buckeye, and the deal included the Trimble Mill.

[95] In 1929, he was one of the principle members of a bipartisan committee created to reach a compromise on the design of the new state flag for Nevada.

[97] In July 1930, Getchell announced his intention to run for re-election for the State Senate from Lander County.

[99][100] In 1932, Getchell was re-elected for a third straight consecutive term as the state chairman of the Republican Party in Nevada, although he did not actively run for the position.

[101] In 1934, he ran for re-election to the Nevada State Senate, being unopposed in both the primary and general election.

[102][103] In 1934, despite strong urging for him to run again, Getchell did not seek to repeat as Republican state chairman.

[108] In 1942, Getchell decided not to run for a sixth-consecutive term as the state senator from Lander County.

With Eisenhower's win in November, the three Republican electors were the first to cast their votes for the president in 24 years, since 1928.

[9] The library was demolished in 2013 to make room for the William N. Pennington Student Achievement Center.

Getchell had served on the committee which reached a compromise regarding the placement of the word, "Nevada" on the flag.