Archaeological evidence indicates that settlement has been in the area since ancient times, and during the Middle Kingdom period, the Egyptian colony of Buhen across the river existed until the Roman period. The modern town of Wadi Halfa was founded in the 19th century, when it became a port on the Nile for steamers from Aswan, such as the "Nubia". During the Turko-Egyptian conquest of 1820, Wadi Halfa was used as a stopping point for troops headed south. Communications developed in the latter half of the 19th century, with a telegraph line to Egypt connected in 1866 and ill-fated attempts to build a railway to Kerma in 1873 and 1877. The eventual establishment of the Sudanese rail head at Wadi Halfaconnected via steamer to the Egyptian network via a port just south of Asyutcaused the site to eclipse the former caravan site at Korosko.