Gehüchte, Augustin van de (fl. c. 1841 - 1860)

Augustin van de Gehüchte (fl. c. 1841 - 1860) was a Belgian surveyor and civil engineer active in Guatemala during the middle part of the 19th century. Little is known of Gehüchte's early years. He was most likely born in Belgium. His cartographic skills suggests military training. In 1841, he was sent to Belgium as part of the Compagnie Belge, a short lived Belgian colonial venture in Guatemala (noted on this map). After Guatemalan independence under Rafael Carrera Turcios (1814 - 1865), Gehüchte, as the country's only skilled surveyor and mapmaker, became instrumental in the development of the country, surveying roads, private land exchanges, and national borders.