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Carl Peter Hällstöm was born on February 27, 1774, in Ilmola, Finland, and passed away on March 13, 1836, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was a distinguished Swedish cartographer and the brother of Gustaf Gabriel Hällström.

In 1792, Hällstöm began his academic pursuits at Åbo, attaining his master's degree in philosophy in 1795. Subsequently, he joined the Bergskollegium, where he became a geschworner in 1797. Around the same time, he was appointed as a tutor in the household of Samuel Gustaf Hermelin, who assigned him to gather materials and conduct measurements for a comprehensive mapping project of Sweden and Finland.

From 1799 to 1818, Hällstöm produced an exemplary series of maps covering various regions of the kingdom. He published his foundational geodetic work in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and in his notable publications, such as "Geographical Determinations" (1804-15), "Listing of Geographical Latitudes and Longitudes in Vesterbotten's Chiefdom" (1803), and "Listing of Places’ Geographical Latitudes and Longitudes in Sweden" (1818). Additionally, he crafted numerous maps for individual projects, notably contributing to Anders Fredrik Skjöldebrand's "Voyage pittoresque au Cap Nord" and Vilhelm Fredrik Palmblad's "Palæstina."

In 1801, Hällstöm transitioned to the Lantmäterikontoret, was appointed as the head of the nautical chart archive in 1809, and concurrently became a member of the stream clearance committee. In this capacity, from 1819 to 1831, he examined and assessed nearly all major watercourses, streams, and falls from Norrbotten to Skåne and Blekinge. He developed plans and cost estimates for lake lowering, stream clearings, harbour constructions, and carried out triangulation measurements and hydrographic surveys along the nation's coasts. Following the dissolution of the stream clearance committee, Hällstöm was appointed as the head of the Northern Canal District in 1827 and was promoted to head of the expeditions' office in 1830, having been granted the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1826.

Hällstöm was elected as a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1804, which posthumously honored him with a medal in 1841.