Although buildings are often viewed as a whole, they are comprised of many different individual elements such as windows, doors, moldings, cornices, pilasters, and columns. As part of the design of the overall building, each individual element was carefully considered for the structural and aesthetic impact it would have on the whole. When it comes time for a building to be considered for preservation treatment, these various elements need to be considered again individually and a process determined for their treatment. For the purpose of this thesis one specific architectural element, window shutters, was chosen for consideration. This thesis investigates the materials, construction methods, and style(s) of window shutters found in Georgia during the second half of the nineteenth century and proposes a methodology for determining a course of preservation.