MIAMI -- She's alive and well on suntan lotion bottles throughout the world, but the Coppertone girl who has been a part of Miami history since Miami pretty much had any history, is fading fast.

The one - time ad for Coppertone, which features the iconic blond pigtail girl whose dog won’t stop pulling her blue bathing suit down, ironically has suffered from years of sun damage.

The ad, which was originally erected along Biscayne Boulevard in 1959, has spent the later years of her life on the side of Concord Building located at 66 W. Flagler St. in downtown Miami.

But the future of the Coppertone girl and her black Scottish terrier remain uncertain.

With the ad continuing to crumble under its current condition, there's concern by some preservationists that the sign will be torn down -- erasing another piece of Miami's history.

"In the next few days we'll know a little something, at least what our next step could be," said Fran Rollason, president of Miami Modern Architecture Biscayne Boulevard Association.

The organization seeks to preserve what’s called Miami Modern Architecture (MiMo), which spans three decades of post-war architecture.

According to Rollason, who spoke to Local10's Alex Alvarez by phone on Thursday, her group is trying to get the Coppertone girl back on the boulevard, but there are several hurdles hindering the preservation attempts.

"I sent an e-mail to Burt Gonzalez, who is a senior staff member to our Commissioner Marc Sarnoff. He was going to do some research for us (MiMo Biscayne Association) in regards to zoning before we contact the Coppertone people to see if they would help restore her," said Rollason.

The zoning concerns Rollason is referring to does not allow "large signs" in the city of Miami.

Even if the city decides to make an exception for the sign, years of decay make moving it very difficult if not impossible.

Still, the effort to save the sign is growing, including help from a Broward man whose considers the Coppertone girl part of his family.

"We did a lot of talking today. I talked to Jerry Bengis, whose family created the original sign," said Rollason.

"We hope to have some answers in the coming days," she added.