Some folks waited much longer than the 50's.  My Grandmother on a rural farm waited on "the county water line".  Her automatic SQ was delivered in 1970.  She depended on a cistern with an electric pump for 2 decades.  True to form she kept the SQ wringer machine "for rugs and heavy stuff".  After years of washboards and using wringer machines in a poorly heated shed, she took "care" of her automatic. It is largely forgotten what an awful job laundry  was.  My mother always had a washer and dryer.  When we got our first Kenmore dishwasher (1975), it seemed  like  a miracle.